Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used-usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England-but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of “the path not taken” of such technology as dirigibles or analog computers; these frequently are presented in an idealized light, or with a presumption of functionality.

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Circular Slide Rule c1895
Pocket Table c1900
Brass Slide Rule c1700
Pocket Lord's Calculator
Pocket Calculator Slide Rule
Masive Brass Lord's Calculator
Desktop Adding Machine c1890
Primitive Computing Machine
Computer Interface 1880
Punchcard Computer c1900
Punchcard Tabulator c1880
Punchcard Tabulator Reader
Punchcard Puncher
Punchcard Tabulator c1880
Desktop Computer 1890
Calculator Keys
Desktop Programmable Computer 1930
Desktop Computer c1880

Steampunk Laptop

Finally! I’m at home, showered, comfortable, and dry. While these are usually given whenever I’m writing a post, I’ve spent more time today wet and tired than I spent sleeping. Allow me to spin a yarn about biking in the rain and the local steampunk conference in Sunnyvale.

For starters, I learned a great deal about biking in the rain. You’ll want to wear pants that you’ve washed several times before or your socks, shoes, and bag will turn blue. Don’t ride through puddles or you’ll be fully soaked from the waist down. You should, in fact, start with a tarpaulin poncho before you leave home rather than buy one half way through your adventure in order to prevent creating a steamy microclimate for your torso.

But on to the juicy bits! When I wasn’t biking furiously through the rain and dodging cars, I was at the steampunk conference in downtown Sunnyvale, California! For those who are unfamiliar with the genre, allow me to explain. Between about 1850 and 1930 there was a period of time where it was likely that steam power would be the driver of fantastic machines like motorcars without rails, airships, and even time machines. What makes it so awesome is that the genre hearkens back to when machines were expertly crafted inside as well as out. Imagine computers with housing like a fine violin and those top hats are still the rage.

The conference was a sensory overload. When I attend more general conventions like ComicCon, I relish the rare slices of steampunk that drift by. However, walking into a hotel ballroom teaming with leather jackets, ray guns, and goggles threw me into a googly-eyed frenzy of over stimulation. I never knew that this subculture had picked up so much steam (ahahahaha, lame).

Cheap puns aside, the only downside is that I don’t have enough money to build a full getup right now. The fact is that I’m selling my computer on Monday and the new parts are going to set me back a bit. Not so badly that I can’t afford food and electricity, but far enough that I can’t afford a $400 custom leather jacket that fits oh so well across the shoulders. In a few months, I’ll follow up with some of these people via the web and see what options there are. I’ll include all the leads I picked up so you can sample some of the accouterments that are available.

I’ve placed the information gleaned from business cards and handshakes below (recommendations not made lightly).

I learned that there are several sub-sections in steampunk, and knowing where you fall will help you determine what you want from the experience. I didn’t realize it was so refined. You can be an aviator, a rough and tumble cowboy from the Wild West, a dashing time-traveler, a handy engineer, a Victorian aristocrat, and more. It’s a shame I can’t dress like that on a regular basis, or I might’ve been willing to take a plunge.

I still walked away with some delightful goods. I bought 3 bags of old clock parts and some nice printed fabric to “punk out” my bag. The clock parts will make a great reference for content on the site!