Computer Conference - THE FIRST WEST COAST COMPUTER FAIRE APRIL 15-17,1977

The First West Coast Computer FAIRE in 1977 was probably the real start of the personal computer industry. The FAIRE created a tremendous interest in microcomputers with over 12,000 folks attending .  A number of first in the industry took place at this FAIRE. 

I am fortunate to have some great items from Adam Schoolsky who was at this FAIRE with Steve Wozniak and the Apple group 

View/Read all 48 pages of  program listing of Events and Companies  'CLICK'

The program is fascinating to look at and see what the cyber world of microcomputers was in 1977 - look at some memory prices (4 KB for $1298) that would be more then $3000 in todays $. This is a PDF file of the Computer FAIRE program in our collection and it is in mint condition.

Adam Schoolsky attended the 1977 FAIRE and was working with Steve Wozniak. Steve like to play jokes so cooked up the idea to introduce great computer - The Zaltair computer and compare it to the Apple 2 and other current computers. The Zaltair only existed on paper in a spoof brochure that Adam Schoolsky and Wozniak created and secretly distributed during the Faire. I will do a whole blog about the Zaltair joke that Wozniak played on Steve Jobs.

Adam Schoolsky was a friend of Wozniak and during this time Adam told me Wozniak gave him an Apple 1 computer.  Adam had this computer for about 18 years and in 1994 he contacted me about selling this Apple 1 to me.  Adam and I  reached an agreement and in January 1995 I completed the purchase. This Apple 1 ( Which we call the "Schoolsky computer" because Adam Schoolsky was the first owner) is in our 'Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum' Along with many other items Adam provided with the computer.

You can see this Apple 1 Computer, The Zaltair Spoof computer brochure and the other items Adam provided from the "First West Coast Computer FAIRE" with the purchase  of his Apple 1 in this Video.  These items are a real important part of our museum collection and we are grateful to Adam for this all these near mint condition.

 The introduction of the Apple 2  by  Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs at this FAIRE  had more impact over the years then any other exhibitor. The  Apple Company is now the largest stock valued company in the world.

 The FAIRE was organized by Jim Warren and Bob Reiling. 'The First West Coast Computer FAIRE'  was a big success. In 1983 Jim sold the FAIRE to Prentice Hall for a reported $3 million.  The FAIRE changed hands one more time and the last FAIRE was produced in 1991 .

You can read a good story about the 1977 FAIRE in  Best of Creative Computing V3 (1980)

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Gaynell and I are leaving this Saturday for a visit with my brother Howard in Missouri for a few days. We had some terrible wind and rain this afternoon in our little town of Floyd Virginia and it knocked out the power. I had power at home so being home early I was able to do this blog post.  Have a great weekend . Update 8-28-13 We had good visit with my 92 year old brother.

"by David Larsen" KK4WW Computer Collector/Historian