I REALLY Miss Computer Shows

[MiAmigo]

eBay is fun and all, and extremely compact, in that you don't even have to get up out of your chair to search the entire online world for whatever your 'gotta-have' of the moment might be.

But, on the other hand, 'getting up out of your chair' is part of the big fun and the big attraction of computer shows. That, and the great price and free shipping (read: take home yourself) on stuff.

I miss being able to stroll through with friends looking at great/obscure/nostaligic deals, being able to pick up a 21" inch monitor for less than 30 bucks, with no hefty shipping fees! - and being able to just 'be' with others of a like mind.

I miss finding great deals on retro games and hardware, and even better deals on brand new stuff.

Most of all, I miss the camaraderie of my fellow nerds, geeks, and tweeks.

But just like 'video killed the radio star', as the old song says, so has eBay, and maybe even  Amazon, pretty much killed the venerable computer show!

[kedawa]

I know what you mean.  In the late 90's I used to go to computer shows with my PC-owning friends to check out all the high end systems and shop for console stuff.  I remember getting a NIB Atari Jaguar with Tempest 2000 for $40.

I had a good time at the World of Commodore Show in 2008, even though it was very small.
Since then I haven't returned because it's well outside the reach of public transit.
I don't know why they don't just hold it in Toronto, where they might actually get more than a few dozen attendees.