Yes, but really most suitable for retro home/gaming computers.
I have asked myself that question before but thought that the demographic that would like the home/gaming computers side would more so also appreciate and identify with the home/work/business era computers. Retro is retro (which I think is one appeal). The reverse might be less true for business computing users who didn't play any games to appreciate the gaming side of home computers. The appeal on the business computing side of some vintage computing event, if we were to try define a mutually exclusive group, would be to the demographic of computer/technology industry workers who for some reason didn't play games or have game computers. A lot of such people moved on and the nostalgic connection is probably much weaker now.
The great thing about computing devices is that business computers could play games and gaming computers were used for applications. I just bought Hugo's House of Horrors, and it's sequel I didn't know about.
So for Armageddon, it's a matter of whether one thinks people would be interested in only the gaming side, or sufficient numbers in the retro side, or even the vintage. To date, it's been about the gaming, and more recent Sega/Nintendo consoles, but that's possibly just because they are the only people doing the stalls there. It is a huge and diversified crowd, and I think the numbers alone would draw would potentially draw more interest to your booth/stall than an independent event and venue.
http://armageddonexpo.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2607&p=6391http://armageddonexpo.com/nz/exhibitor-information/But perhaps the best of both worlds as a venue would be to use the same venue for a separate event. For example, in an un-rented portion of the Wellington Event Centre on the same weekend.
Vintage microcomputers also covers boring business machines like the IBM PC/XT/AT, Osborne/Kaypro and other CPM beasts. Would Armageddon junkies be interested in the power of the spreadsheet and the like?
I think retro transcends the class of computers, whether gaming or business as style and look of the machines becomes a draw card. But that of course is relegating the business machines to just displays while the home/gaming computers get the play.
As for the boring side - the applications - that's a tricky one. Some probably won't look that much different such as word processors and spreadsheets, but seeing a few different points in the evolution of the applications and what the capabilities of the computers were would make a good contrast if juxtaposed against examples of current technologies. Expos etc need to be more interactive, and on that front, games are more fun to interact with and wouldn't require much effort to set up.
However, if the focus WAS just home/gaming retro computers then that's a good thought.
What type of things could you show on the home/business retro computers? Should computers just be displayed turned off, turned on, but with something preloaded for display only, or so set up that people would be encouraged to interact with? I'm more talking about a public event rather than a vintage computer enthusiasts event.
Personally, I see the home/gaming computers as just ONE thread of the IT revolution in the 1980s albeit one which carries lots of nostalgia. The business machines had a huge impact at work and on society generally also.
Agree.
I like Option B, but as you points out, the time, size and effort is not trivial. I'd prefer to take it to the public rather than preach to the converted.