Vintage Computer Festival / Swiss Computing History Event

Experience the Vintage Computer Festival where historical computers and technologies are brought back to life! This two-day event offers a unique opportunity to experience the fascinating development of computer technology up close, from its beginnings to the classics of past decades.

Look forward to impressive exhibitions, exciting lectures, interactive workshops, and a flea market in the Route 66 Hall. Visitors can try out legendary computer models themselves and learn more about how they work.

Flea Market

As part of the VCF, there is also a flea market in the Route 66 Hall, the perfect meeting place for collectors, hobbyists, and nostalgia fans. Here you will find rare computer parts, accessories, software, retro games, and exciting treasures from past decades.

Want to sell yourself? Reserve your table now for just CHF 25 per table and present your rarities to an interested audience. Whether individual pieces from your collection, spare parts, or entire systems, the VCF flea market is the right place for you!

Visitors can look forward to true finds and take the opportunity to engage with experts and like-minded people.

Workshop

We build our own ‘Blinky Pin’ and learn the basics of electronics in a fun way. Using a soldering iron, we assemble a simple circuit board that you can take home with you.

Saturday, 8 November: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Sunday, 9 November: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Price: CHF 15 per person

IEEE Swiss Computing History Event – Speakers & Topics

Saturday, 8 November

Academy 2, 2nd Floor

• 10:30 a.m.: Les débuts de l'informatique individuelle, Smaky vs. Apple (FR) – Jean-Daniel Nicoud
• 11:30 a.m.: Evolution des réseaux et services à l'EPFL dans les années 80 (FR/EN) – René Beuchat
• 12:30 p.m.: The Internet, What Else? (EN) – Bernhard Plattner
• 13:30 p.m.: A New History of the World Wide Web (EN) – Gabriele Balbi

Auditorium, Ground Floor

• 12:30 p.m.: Schweizer Computer der ETH Zürich (DE) – Robert Weiss
• 13:30 p.m.: Pionierjahre der Workstation-Entwicklungen an der ETH Zürich (DE) – Jürg Gutknecht
• 14:30 p.m.: Erste Schweizer Computer in Transistortechnik (DE) – Peter J. Wild
• 15:30 p.m.: Starting Logitech (EN) – Daniel Borel (Recorded)
• 15:45 p.m.: Developments for mouse cost reductions (EN) – Marc Bidiville

Sunday, 9 November

Auditorium, Ground Floor

• 10:30 a.m.: Video games in Switzerland? Yes, for over 50 years! (EN) – Yannick Rochat, Sophie Bémelmans
• 11:30 a.m.: Embedded Computers der Firma Digital Logic (DE) – Felix Kunz
• 12:30 p.m.: ERMETH-Töne & Smartphone-Alltag: Was vergessen geht (DE) – Juri Jaquemet
• 13:30 p.m.: Presentation of museums and computer clubs in elevator-pitch style (DE/FR/EN) – Many
• 15:30 p.m.: Supercomputer in der Schweiz (DE) – Anton Gunzinger

Academy 2, 2nd Floor

• 14:30 p.m.: Le succès d'EleClub (1968) et de Microclub (1976) (FR) – Pierre-Yves Rochat
• 15:30 p.m.: Les défis de la micro des années 70 (FR) – Jean-Marie Rouiller

Participate and Exhibit

We are looking for passionate collectors, experts, and enthusiasts who want to present their exhibits or lectures to a broad audience. Share your stories and help us bring the history of computers to life!

Exhibit Registration Form

Lecture Registration Form