All posts by Chris Green

Kickstart Events and Activities, News

Come See Kickstart at Zzap Live 2023 on August 12th

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Ahead of our next Kickstart meet in Ottershaw in October, Kickstart will be on the road in August and September, popping up at some events and supporting some of our friends at their user group meets.

On 12th August 2023 we will be heading to the Holiday Inn Kenilworth (it’s about half way between Warwick and Coventry) for Zzap! Live 2023. It’s a hands-on show celebrating all things Commodore, from the early 8-bit days right the way through to the Amiga and even Commodore’s difficult history as a PC maker. We are there in conjunction with our friends at the South West Amiga Group, helping to populate the Amiga area. Some of the Kickstart team will be there showing off some modified and updated member machines, showing how you can make the most of the Amiga in 2023.

Zzap! Live 2023 will feature over 50 interactive exhibits, representing the entire history of Commodore computing from the humble pioneering days right up to the present. Not only will there be plenty to play, but other ways to spend your time and your money while you socialise!

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Kickstart Events and Activities, News

Only Two Table Tickets Left For Kickstart in October – Don’t Miss Out!

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Places at the 15th October 2023 Kickstart Amiga Group meet are in high demand, so much so that we only have two table places left at the time of writing this post. If you would like to join us and need a table for your computer, please grab a ticket now while you still can.

A few non-table tickets are still available for people wanting to come but who are not bringing a machine.

We’ve also added an option for a few “Bring Your Own Table” tickets. If you have a fold up table (ideally around 4ft, no bigger than 6ft) that can take the weight of your Amiga and its bits, you can bring it with this ticket. It’s the same price as our costs are the same whether we supply the table or you do, but you still get access and everything else included in the day like every other ticket holder, including refreshments.

Now Includes Lunch!

Thanks to the enormous amount of support and the size of the turnout for this meet, I am so happy to say that we can afford to add a bit more value to your existing ticket. In addition to the snacks and soft drinks we will be providing for the day, we will also be providing a sandwich buffet lunch for everyone.

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News

Kickstart Nostalgia Ahead of October

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Firstly, a huge thank you to everyone who has bought a ticket for the first Kickstart meet in October – we’ve been absolutely blown away by the enthusiasm for reviving Kickstart and our first meet back is going to be a very busy day with no shortage of people. There are a few table tickets left, so please don’t delay in buying your ticket – we don’t want you to miss out.

The news that Kickstart is coming back has generated some nostalgia. A big thanks to Mike at the Yorkshire Amiga Group, who sent us this 22 year old flyer that one of his members found promoting the last Kickstart Amiga Show we ran – our biggest as well – which we held in Banstead in Surrey as the show had outgrown Ottershaw Village Hall.

More info on the 15th October 2023 Kickstart meet, along with the ticket link can be found at https://www.kickstartamigagroup.org.uk/2023/07/04/join-us-on-october-15th-2023-in-surrey-the-kickstart-amiga-group-is-back/

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Kickstart Events and Activities, News

An Amazing Response, Kickstart in October is Going to be Big!

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Just a quick update to thank everyone who has bought a ticket for the Kickstart 15th October 2023 meet. The response has been fantastic so far and we really appreciate all the support in bringing Kickstart back as a user group.

There are still a few table tickets left and we would really like to see you there. You can buy your ticket here:

https://kickstartamigagroup.sumupstore.com/

We will be emailing ticket holders with regular updates between now and October.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us via the Contact Us page above.

Kickstart Events and Activities

Join Us on October 15th 2023 in Surrey – The Kickstart Amiga Group is Back!

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After considerable input and interest I am excited to announce we have booked a venue for the first Kickstart Amiga Group meeting of the new era!

Rather than September, we’ve opted for 15th October to avoid clashing with other Amiga user group events and so we can welcome many of our friends from other neighbouring user groups.

Book your tickets at: https://kickstartamigagroup.sumupstore.com/

For our first meet, we are going back to where it all began – Ottershaw Village Hall. This is where the Kickstart Amiga Group originally held its monthly meetings back in the 1990s and early 2000s, as well as the first three Kickstart Amiga Shows. Back then, it was called Brook Hall. Not only has the name changed, but the venue has had a substantial makeover and will be a wonderful place to hold our meet.

Key Information

  • When: Sunday 15th October 2023
  • Where: Ottershaw Village Hall, Brox Road,
    Ottershaw, Surrey, KT16 0HG
  • Time: 9am-9pm
  • Cost: £15 per person
    (price includes snacks and soft drinks throughout the day)
  • Ticket Link: https://kickstartamigagroup.sumupstore.com/

Kickstart is a non-profit event. The price we are charging is purely to cover the cost of renting the hall for the day and for the cost of the refreshments. If by some miracle, we have money left over, 100% of it will be put towards the cost of booking the hall for the next meet. Yes, there will be more of these!

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Kickstart Events and Activities

September Seems Nice For a Kickstart Meet

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Well, the interest in getting Kickstart back up and running with physical meets has been far greater than I could have imagined. So much so, that I’m going to look at arranging an inaugural meet some time in September.

Venue is still to be confirmed, but Brook Hall in Ottershaw, our original home (now renamed Ottershaw Village Hall), is definitely a possibility given the nice location, it has plenty of parking and there’s a pub next door. Wherever we end up booking, it will be in the Surrey, Bucks or Berkshire area on the border with London to allow for good motorway access and ideally, a nearby train station.

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Kickstart Events and Activities, News

Here We Go Again

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Amiga Range of Computers
The Commodore Amiga – A Range of Computers That Spanned Two Decades

Back in 1997, the Amiga as a platform was dying. Commodore had gone bust, Escom (the company that bought most of Commodore’s assets, including the Amiga) also went bust after over-stretching itself. Various other attempts to rescue the Amiga platform from the wreckage ended up being little more than a joke that came to nothing. It fell to the remaining users and the rest of the grassroots community such as the vendors still in the market and the last embers of Amiga media to support each other and keep the platform alive. This is how Kickstart was born.

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