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THE "ST NEWS" INTERNATIONAL CHRISTMAS CODING CONVENTION 1990
by Richard Karsmakers

Blood flows where it can't flow (or, rather, where it should not
flow), and therefore Stefan got a totally berzerk idea recently,
when suffering from a post-LateST-NEWS-quest depression.
Why not invite all people that mean something in the software
world to Holland, and have a totally freaky weekend or so,
programming and making fun in general?
Of course, the idea was totally ridiculous.
That's why we went ahead with it.

So, in the weekend before Christmas, somewhere in a town called
Oss in the Netherlands, literally everyone out of the demo-and
games programming world will come together for the ST NEWS
Christmas Coding Convention, and ST NEWS will be there to provide
you with some eye witness coverage and a stunning real time
article in which everybody will get to have his say.
We're trying to get the event covered in our favourite
magazines, which means that you may get to read all about it in
the English magazine "ZERO" and the German magazine "TOS". And,
once again, the whole uncensored truth will be published in the
upcoming issue of ST NEWS (which will be Volume 6 Issue 1, the
second 'Undead' issue).

So this is what the official invitation will approximately look
like:

-----------------------------------------------------------------

INVITATION TO
THE "ST NEWS" INTERNATIONAL CHRISTMAS CODING CONVENTION 1990
TO BE HELD IN OSS, THE NETHERLANDS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21ST - MONDAY, DECEMBER 24TH
(OR: THE HOTTEST THING TO HAPPEN SINCE THE SUMMER!)

----------------------- WHAT WILL IT BE? ------------------------
A gathering of Atari ST game-and demo programmers from all over
Europe. Likewise minds are, of course, also welcome.
----------------------- WHERE WILL IT BE? -----------------------
On the premises of a software company located in a little castle
in the rural town of Oss, the Netherlands. Cosy, warm and nice.
---------------------- WHO WILL BE THERE? -----------------------
Everybody whose name rings a bell in the world of demo
programming, whilst negotiations with some of the top programmers
from England are going on as well. Press attendance is expected.
-------------------- WHO WILL NOT BE THERE? ---------------------
People that actively hack'n'crack or that are called Saddam
Hussein. It is NO copy party (!), nor any kind of invasion.
------------------------ WHAT IS IT FOR? ------------------------
To exchange know-how, do some vicious coding, swim, create demos,
partake in competitions and generally have a great time. No
business: Just being like-wise minds together. Let yourself off
the hook for a while; meet people.
-------------------- WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU? ---------------------
Some Dutch money as well as a sleeping bag and, if possible, an
ST system (or two, or three...). Should you not want to sleep in
a bag, hotel accomodations are available at your own cost.
Transport from and to Amsterdam airport can be arranged if
so desired. Demo screens for inclusion in a Coding Convention
demo are more than welcome and all will be entered in a
competition with some original, classic prizes. Also, feature
articles for use in the special Convention Issue of "ST NEWS"
will be appreciated!
Further: Swimming trunks and clean underwear recommended.
----------------------- WHO ORGANISES IT? -----------------------
The editorial staff of the international disk based Atari ST
magazine "ST NEWS". Contact address: Stefan Posthuma, Negende
Donk 4, NL-5233 PJ, Den Bosch, The Netherlands.
---------------- HOW MUCH DOES IT SET YOU BACK? -----------------
To cover the costs (celebrity transport, a token of appreciation
to the people whose office we're using, drinks and various bits
of nourishment investment) a nominal charge of 20 Dutch guilders
(£7 or DM 20) will have to be paid before entry.
----------------------- HOW TO TAKE PART? -----------------------
Just reply to this invitation as soon as possible at the
organisation address, so that we can arrange everything in time
(also if you can not come - which would of course be a shame). If
you want to take a friend/colleague, don't hesitate to do so (the
more people, the more fun).
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU REPLY TO THIS INVITATION A.S.A.P.!!

-----------------------------------------------------------------

At the moment, Stefan and me (with assistance by various other
people amongst which are the other TLB members) are collecting
ideas for what to do. The following is a list of things we have
gathered so far (under reservation):

O Of course, we will go and swim in a local swimming pool,
probably quite early on Sunday morning. It is somewhat of a
tradition that, whenever lotsa computer freaks are together,
they will go and have a ball at the swimming pool. This is
also the only occasion of showering (in the swimming pool
showers) unless one is staying at the local hotel.
O There will be a demo competition, of course. This means that
everybody can bring interesting demo screens with them that
they have coded themselves, which we will try to put in a
Convention Demo to be finished on the Convention itself (or
soon after it). This competition is for any 'normal' demo
screens. The more space they need on disk, the better they
have to be to be included in the Convention Demo!
O For those who can't code (which are of course the graphics
artists) there will be a full-screen graphics competition.
The rules are simple: You have to make a 32 Kb picture that
can use as many colours as you want. You are allowed to
produce it at home and take it with you to the Convention.
O There will be a large piece of paper hanging on the wall, on
which every guest will have to write down his name and a
remark. This piece of paper will then be auctioned towards
the end of the Convention.
O Typical Dutch food will be available. Cheese, Dutch beernuts
and crisps, and of course the Divine fluid: Plantiac!
O At the end of the Convention, items can be ordered that will
be sent to the buyers at a later date. These items include
an "I was at the ST NEWS International Christmas Coding
Convention" T-shirt, and an exclusive VHS video tape
covering the event. At a somewhat higher price, the video
will be available for non-visitors as well. More details
about this in ST NEWS Volume 6 Issue 1.
O At the Convention, it will be possible to get your hands on
all the best ST demos and all GEM issues of ST NEWS for a
give-away price! This may include some of the latest Mega
demos, which will be finished at the Convention (Delta
Force's "Syntax Terror" and maybe others....).
O There will be a special "VIC TIMES REVISITED" coding
competition to the honour of Jeff Minter (who will also
contribute a 3.5 Kb game to this). This means that you have
to code a screen on the Convention that takes up a maximum
of 3584 bytes on disk (that's 3.5 Kb - a VIC 20's memory)!
These screens will have to be coded at the convention.
O A daily bulletin will be conceived at the Convention, which
will give attendants a lastable souvenir.
O A Game Boy "Tetris" competition will be done. If you have a
Game Boy, bring it along with the connector cable as well
(and filled batteries, of course!).
O Assorted Thalion merchandising will be available at reduced
prices (some even for free). There'll be T-shirts, badges,
and the Hippy CD.
O A special Convention Issue of ST NEWS will be launched soon
after the show, ST NEWS Volume 6 Issue 1. This will cover
real-time articles about literally everything that happened,
as well as feature articles that can be submitted at the
Convention provided that they are written in proper English.
For the purpose of writing these real-time articles, an ST
system will be available at all times for people to write
down whatever they think is worth while mentioning.
O The list of people that are expected at the Convention
includes The Lost Boys (UK; 6 members), The Carebears (S;
5 members), The Respectables (D; 3 members), The Delta Force
(D; 3 members), The Dynamic Duo (UK; 2 members), Foxx (D),
The Nutty Norwegians (N), The Exceptions (D; 5 members), The
Gigabyte Crew (D; 2 members), Level 16 (D), Fury of (ex) The
Replicants (F), Pendragons (F), ST Connection (F), Vector
(S), The Unlimited Matrix (L), Galtan 6 (NL), Aenigmatica
(NL), The Amazing Cracking Conspiracy (NL; 2 members), TNT-
Crew (D), TNT (CH), Sync (S; 3 members), Next (F; 3
members), Overlanders (F; 9 members) and Omega (S; 3
members). Invitations have also been sent to John Phillips,
Peter Johnson, Jez San, Steve Bak, Chris Sorell, The Bitmap
Brothers, The Assembly Line and various other English
programmers - though the likelihood of them actually
attending is (honesty compels to tell me) limited.

We will try (and we think we will succeed) to make the ST NEWS
International Christmas Coding Convention the most successful
event of its kind in known computer history. Read all about it in
the upcoming 'undead' issue.

ST NEWS - We don't need news. We make it.

Disclaimer
The text of the articles is identical to the originals like they appeared in old ST NEWS issues. Please take into consideration that the author(s) was (were) a lot younger and less responsible back then. So bad jokes, bad English, youthful arrogance, insults, bravura, over-crediting and tastelessness should be taken with at least a grain of salt. Any contact and/or payment information, as well as deadlines/release dates of any kind should be regarded as outdated. Due to the fact that these pages are not actually contained in an Atari executable here, references to scroll texts, featured demo screens and hidden articles may also be irrelevant.