Optron #17 04 сентября 1998

Демопати

Fun Top'98 - Notes party.

       FunTop'98: participant notes



(C) Sergey Filimonov, 1998


            Instead of Preface


  Immediately warn you that this is - does
no detailed report and not the official record of a great event 
for everyone spektrumista - FunTop'98. Information Sponsor 
Festival - Newspaper Nicron - probably will complete 
information in their next releases. Here - sketchy, largely 
subjective evidence of an eyewitness, the compilation of "hot 
pursuit". In short, "What did - and wrote about. Why not seen - 
that did not write. " 

  It would not be here, and comparisons such as "Here,
supposedly on Enlight'97 was so, but on FunTop'98 - edak. "Our 
reader himself can "Total Recall", referring to the first issue 
of Optron, where material is placed on Gendalf'a Enlight'97, as 
well as ZxNews N40, which is almost all devoted to last year's 
festival. 

  And finally to admit that such a
event, I visited for the first time: a lot
here was for me a completely new and
unusual, so I may have something
misunderstood.



                On the way


  Colorful ads that alerts great event, neither the station nor 
on the streets, or in the subway has not been noticed. However, 
thanks to the detailed scheme, placed in Nicron'e, as well as 
this remarkable landmark as the church on Novy Arbat, to venue 
of the festival I got no problems.


  Here it is - a cherished five-story building
Moscow School N91. Walk across the yard. On
front door - a small, printed on
laser printer ad:


          FunTop'98 - 5th Floor


  I went inside. Only had time to notice
that prior to the next door about ten feet, like a spring slams 
the door behind me. There comes a pitch-dark. Groping their 
way, fearing to stumble. Outstretched arms rest on its coveted 
doorway. Revealing. Fu, slightly brightened ... 

  I climbed the stairs. On the fourth
floor - thick clouds of smoke coming down from above - a clear 
sign that I walk the true path.


  Fifth floor. Before entering the auditorium -
reception and two trays. At one
tray - a lot of literature on the ZX-computers
C-DOS and modems, on the other - T-shirts with the inscription 
"FunTop'98" and the software in a rather squalid (Compared with 
lying immediately Directory) range. Cost maechek - 30 p. for

each (slightly less than $ 5 at the rate of
days).

  Entrance Fee - also 30 rubles.

  Registered:

  - Did you apply?

  - Of course!

  - Then you - 20 p ... Obtain and fill up the participant.

  On the forms - the emblem of the festival, made our 
Protein'om, which perfectly know all the readers of Optron. The 
first pleasant surprise! 



            First impressions


  Auditorium. "And why did I just come here?" - That's the 
first thing that occurred to When I looked around. (Later, in 
Lviv I was "comforted" that this is almost

not everyone who vperfye involved in such an event.

  In the hall a man 100-150. In the bulk
age of the audience - 17-25 years. But there are guys younger 
and those over 30. Quite often, the eye caught "curls black 
shoulder-length "(or even up to the elbows). From abundance of 
"computer slang" a little nauseated. 

  Usually, these gatherings taken to write:
"The audience was already a bit warm (themselves
know what). "But here, in my opinion, what
was not - that was not there.

  Exterior view of the assembly hall - quite
poky: shabby walls clock on the wall
show "the exact time twice a day"
(Arrows stopped at 12.45); come across a broken and chopped 
chairs. 

  Electricity in the school there. FunTop "feeds" of stretched 
from the house next door cable. 

  Demonstration of entries is
in parallel on four monitors, arranged (not very successfully) 
in different places Hall, which, of course, for this audience

enough.

  Monitors are installed at the high lockers. On the one that 
is closer to the entrance - prikeena piece of paper with a 
frightening warning: 


  Brings to drink alcohol

                PROHIBITED!


  As the chief administrator everywhere
worn Wlodek Black, head of the Moscow ZX-Net and zam.redaktora 
Nicron'a. 

  Seizing the moment, I come up:

  - Hello, I - from the Steel Falcons ...

  - And, from Volodya Klimusa! How did I know! AND
Andrew Stegnitskogo you know. Yes, and work your Protein'a won 
first place Emblems of the contest! You will be able to pass

him the prize?

  - Of course!

  - Then, ALWAYS wait for the announcement
outcome!



              Graphics compo


  Pictures shown on monitors in
one minute each. According Wlodek'a,
sent to work from anywhere, even from Sweden.

  As the demonstration there are new
income.

  Enthusiasts have photographed and filmed video cameras 
demonstrated by the work room, public - FunTop!


  When the demonstration is called only the number of
work without the author. Perhaps
for greater objectivity of the competition - this
good, but what's the point then tell
that supposedly "works NN32, 35 provoked strong
delighted the audience? "A description of the picture
words - an absurdity.

  At work, N63 demonstration ends.

  - Whose work has not shown - come here! - Announces Wlodek.

  About ten dosdayut their work.
View continuing.

  - Well, outright porn! - Says Wlodek one of these works. - 
Author quite wisely did what passed at the last moment!


  (The fact that all pre-handed operation, in theory, should 
have been subjected to organizing committee of the preview).




               During breaks


  The bulk of the rushes into the corridor -
on a smoke break, and quenching thirst of beer, some is 
absorbed in the incredible amount (according to my 
observations, an unquenchable thirst for beer - hallmark of 
most spektrumistov). 

  Simultaneously, the presentation of different works of 
authorship. Speakers and authors themselves advertising their 
offspring. 



                   KAY


  Assembled represent the latest model
ZX-PC - KAY. On his brainchild
says his developer - VG Skutin.

  The distinguishing characteristic of the new
PC:

  - Clock frequency in the mode TURBO - 7
MHz;

  - No WAIT in normal mode;

  - Memory - 1 MB;

  - RAM-drives in TR-DOS and IS-DOS;

  - The approximate price of board - 250 p.
+10% For inflation.

  Speech by completing the applause of all
present.

  - I want to emphasize, - said Vyacheslav
G., chatting with me after his
Speeches - What KAY not compatible
with the expansion of 320 lines. Not to offend the developers 
'Pentagon', we wanted to get as close to the TV standard. 



              4K Intro compo


  This competition at the festival - the second, and
it began at 12.30.

  In total 14 works were presented.

  Some of his work - very good, and even
the absence of music in some of them compensated for many of 
the original visuals. Simply amazing - how much The authors 
manage to stuff just 4K!


  When the show is often displayed DISK
ERROR - with drives from the organizing committee is clearly
not everything is in order.

  During a work of N6 at someone suddenly collapses ledge with 
his curtain. However, "death and destruction there."




               Music compo


  After about a hour break somewhere
at 14.00, the next contest -
music.

  Presented by 39 works. While listening to each limited to 
three minutes (Regardless of the duration of the melody). By 
the end of the contest this time, even further reduced - to one 
and a half minutes. 

  The level of work - rather mediocre.

  However, one of the tunes was pretty "groovy": a couple of 
guys break down suddenly from his seat and accepted dancing. It 
seems that he himself is so like that "dances" from time to 
time continue to the end Festival ...


  The contest is nearing its end, and work Stegnitskogo still 
no! What a parable? To again catch Wlodek'a:


  - Volodya What kind of things? Where work
Andrew? "

  - ..? And did you send?

  - ..? So you do them registered in the past!

  - Well, maybe ... You can see that
us with the light ... Probably left on the screw, and his are 
no longer attached ... 

  - ...!!! - That I no longer loud, but only
himself.

  Y-yes, wow nakladochka! Especially
pity that the work of Andrew was (I say this
without any bias!), at least at the
procedure is best, was made at the competition.

  "Okay - then and I decided - let
then the work will be performed in Andrew's issue of Optron, 
where we shall describe this festival. Do this it is necessary! 
". 

  So what exactly this job, "Lost"
in the depths of the screw "FunTop'a you, dear
readers, now and listen.



                Demo compo


  16.00. It starts with the main and final contest of the 
festival. Represented 15 work. Some writers finish their

work right here on the fly. "

  In demah vengeance and pictures are used, and
music, and everything else that was presented today. So the 
first place in the Demo compo rightfully can be considered

"Grand Prix of the festival.

  Most of the papers - is full of original findings.

  As in 4K Intro compo, come across really great stuff. Just
amazingly - still have the people
so loyal to the Spectrum, which manage to get up on it is!

  One of the works was shocked by the fact that in
during her run on the screen suddenly appeared
swastika.

  Endings many dem cause appreciative laughter from the crowd. 
Imagine itself: there is an inscription:



        WAIT. Preparations are underway

         To Shutdown


  Then - a pause, then -


        NOW CATERING COMPUTER

             You can disable


  This is something on the Spectrum!

  It seems that the imitation of "under PC" is quite popular 
among the current spektrumistov. In confirmation refers readers 
to the article FOX'a placed in the same issue

"OPTRON.

  After showing the latest demos cut down food.

  - For the light has to pay - explains Wlodek. - So, you know 
... 



                  Results


  It was announced that, in determining the winners will be 
considered votes ALL participants, not just members of the 
organizing committee. Fill the form by placing them Rooms liked 
works ... 

  "To summarize, while the results did not disappoint
us "- I remembered someone's old origin, when I took 
comfortably in anticipation of the announcement of the results. 

  Counting of votes unexpectedly delayed.

  Have to wait painfully long. Some people even fall asleep 
while sitting on a chair. 

  And then, finally, - "has not passed and six months'
- At 20.15 (a clock on the wall, I remind you
still show 12.45) declared
voting results and award prizes.
Winner in the DEMO-KOMPO additionally receives a fee 1M KAY.

  This time called by the author -
without specifying the numbers they submitted
work (Awarded work is not re-
show - because of power cut down).
So what kind of work was so
commercials, or marked - for all but the organizing committee, 
it remains a mystery covered in darkness. 

  Oh, God! To what unintelligible to announce the winners! 
Something can only make out "from the fifth to tenth." But the 
competition emblems of Protein'e - no word!


  Once again, caught Wlodek'a:

  - Volodya, "Optocouplers" needs a complete list
winners, with an indication of work teams, names, cities ...

  - Wait, now I find ... - Answers
Wlodek and runs away.

  The next time you capture a list of searches begin in 
earnest. Together with Wlodek'om circumvent several rooms, 
interview a bunch of people. Finally, he pokes me some paper:


  - Here, everything is written ...

  On pieces of paper - handwritten illegible
scrawl - the coveted list. On the competition logos - again, 
nothing! 

  Fearing possible typos (not by his
wine!) in the list of winners, will refrain from
its publication.

  Well have to wait for an official report Nicron'e ...


  On and ended for me FunTop'98.

  It was getting dark ...

  "So why, in fact, here I come?" - It seems to me way back.

  However, no wonder they say that "First
pancake - always lumpy. "So let's hope that next time 
everything will be organized much better. 



    Mitino - "Black Day Calendar



(C) Sergey Filimonov, 1998


  How could arrive in Moscow - and not to visit Mitino? And 
having been there - do not share their impressions with the 
readers of Optron "? 

  Nice Mitinskaya radio market - one of the
central not only for Russia but also, perhaps, for the entire 
post-Soviet space ". with Lviv radio market,

Of course, no comparison: Located
under the open sky, a huge area,
rich assortment. Assumed
that "Mitka", as in Greece, "all
is "(but only" in principle ").

  But this time I had no luck - there was a day
next ruble collapse.

  The kiosks are closed. 9.00 something
was gradually opened. K 10.00
opened still somewhere under 40% of the stalls. However, 
towards noon, half of what appear, has again been closed.


  On the shelves that I had time to examine,
choice - contrary to the usual - very poor. I need tools, such 
as buy and failed.


  Prices can be determined when the
price list, when the words of the seller and
if so:

  - You see, lad, price list here hanging?
- Explained to the seller - So multiply everything on the
1.7 - that's you and will be the real price!

  Panicked crowds, buying up everything, "
has not been noticed: buy something there was nothing.

  On this day, Mitka basic goods
(Under 80%) were CD-ROMs and videocassettes - a
a great number and variety.
Moreover, openly sold a lot of outright porn, and, 
surprisingly, are often traded in her girl godkov commercials 
at 13-15. Some of these soplivok (well though not all) do 
smoked cigarettes (Recently, however, is not so surprising:

Moscow women, smokers on the street,
caught at each step).

  And you know what else was unusual for
citizen of Lviv? Free entry to the market and -
Free same - a toilet (!), and relatively clean - just as the 
market itself. A Here, "hot dogs" here - much worse than

We, and other pastries, sandwiches - too.

  That's all my impressions of
"Mitka". Once again I remind you - I was zde
weekday, but in such as "bazaar"
is not something that was not, but it could not be - the 
collapse of the ruble! Perhaps the "market days" and on 
weekends it's different - something I do not know that I do not 
know.