What I'd like to know is what is the reason you visit MSX fairs? Or what is the reason that you don't? As there are not much MSX fairs left (sadly) I think it is important to know what your reasons are to visit and thus make sure that all fairs keep giving you those reasons to keep going. And if you're not going you probably miss something at the fairs and that is valuable information too.



In my point of view there should be more MSX fairs that concentrate on developers and attracting new people to the MSX community. I think there are a lot of (young) people who would like to participate in MSX development but don't really know where to start.



Please give me some feedback on this.

Visiting fairs can serve many purposes:

- buy (or sell) MSX items

- meet MSX friends

- gather knowledge

- make plans and work together



Most fairs concentrate on the first: buyers and sellers. Meeting friends (once you know them in person, I have been standing besides a person at a stand at the last Tilburg fair with whom I exchange emails for years without at that moment knowing who he was) is a nice side effect.



Having lectures is a way to gather knowledge, and that is not much done at MSX fairs. But it can greatly enhance the pleasure, remember Nishi's meeting at Tilburg).



Make plans and work together can be done for example in a workshop setup. You need a group of active cooperative people, otherwise it becomes a lecture.

So you think concentrating on commercial thoughts like selling stuff is not the way to go. I think you are right about that. Keeping MSX alive is not about selling old hardware

Too bad only you reacted on this topic so far... I'd like to know what other people think too.

Just selling MSX items is not enough to attract new users or keep the attention of current.

When I visit a fair I scan all stands for interesting things for my 'collection'. And then it really depends if there is an interactive action going on to keep me from leaving after an hour.



Workshops are the way to keep that interest. Seeing, learning, doing something is the way to grow yourself and help others grow and keep enthousiastic.

Ah, yes, I agree on those things. The next fair in Bussum will feature some more 'entertainment'. Any ideas posted here will certainly be taken into account... So errmm... workshops, eh? And compo's... A poll at the entrance... Ha, cwl! Hmmm this could really be fun.

So when's the next Bussum fair Grauw? I'd really like to visit a good old MSX fair, with spirited MSX people. Maybe we can talk about the screenshots I showed in the development topic. Got some ideas still

Quote:

The next fair in Bussum will feature some more 'entertainment'. Any ideas posted here will certainly be taken into account...

TeddyWareZ will release Chaos Assembler 3.0 this year on Bussum. It's a cross assembler for MSX.

If there is enough interest, we would like to give a presentation about it.



Greetz, Chaos^TeddyWareZ

MMm... Why don't you organize your own fair Brendan? Or is the number of MSX'ers in Canada limited to 1, just you?

Hmm, agree. There are so many reasons to visit MSX fairs

Well, I found MSX again about a year ago, and I didn't have a clue 'bout any MSX:ers even being alive or that there would be any fairs. Next year (2002) I've planned to visit at least one fair, depending if I can save the money for it. It's not cheap to travel from Finland to Netherlands. And I don't have any information on ACTIVE MSX:ers in Finland. Everyone just seems to abbandon the old MSX... what a shame.

the MSX is now an CULT product instead of an handy usefull product so like all cult things the people must find out that it's great fun. i have bin to tilburg 1 time (and payed money for an cd i never got damn), but whith the new revival project the fairs can grow again i hope...

Well, I would love to go to an MSX fair, but as in a previous post, I think the MSX community here consists of 2 people, me and an MSXer from maryland. It's pretty bleak in the US for MSXing (Don't call me an american. I am not.)

More than 2 years have passed since we talked about the do's and don'ts of visiting MSX fairs. This weekend the second MSX Devcon will be held in the Netherlands, while the MSXRio Fair will take place in Rio, Brazil. Throughout the past few years there seems to be a slight increase in both the amount of standholders and visitors on MSX fairs in the Netherlands. Take the MSX Fair in Oss 2004, for example, which was a lot more crowded than it ever has been. Also for the upcoming MSX fair in Bussum things are looking very bright.

So how do you feel about MSX fairs Anno 2004? What makes an MSX fair succesful to you? What would you like to see happening or change at MSX fairs?