Press release - Tuesday May 21st:          http://www.xcom2002.com/ 
   
     EXTREME COMPUTING FESTIVAL TO FEATURE AUTHOR OF "CHUCKIE EGG",
                      PLUS PHYSICIST FREEMAN DYSON
   
   
   Acclaimed theoretical physicist FREEMAN DYSON, inventor of the "Dyson 
   Sphere", will be joining an unprecedented lineup of guests - which 
   also includes NIGEL ALDERTON, the creator of "Chuckie Egg" - at this 
   year's FESTIVAL OF EXTREME COMPUTING, taking place at the Camden 
   Centre in London, from 11am-7pm Sunday 9th June 2002.
   
   Dyson and his son, George, will be discussing and signing copies of 
   George's latest book, "Project Orion: The Atomic Spaceship 1957-
   1965", as part of a panel discussion entitled "When Science Fiction 
   Becomes Science Fact - And Then Becomes Science Fiction Again". 
   
   Other presentations will include a debate on whether it's possible to 
   make money out of online comedy (featuring CHARLIE BROOKER of 
   notorious listings spoof site TV GO HOME), plus A Salute To 20 Years 
   Of The ZX Spectrum, with reminiscences from NIGEL ALDERTON, author of 
   pioneering platform game "Chuckie Egg", which also went on to be a 
   big hit on the BBC Micro.
   
   The event has been described as "a technology trade fair with a 
   difference", "a medieval version of eBay" and "a summer festival for 
   those of us whose idea of a good time is sitting indoors hunched 
   over a PC with the curtains drawn". It has been organised by the UK's 
   leading digital arts magazine MUTE in conjunction with award-winning 
   news site NTK, who have survived for 5 years in the ever-perilous 
   dot-com arena, as much to their own surprise as anyone else's. 
   
   Other attractions will include speakers, demonstrations, musical 
   interludes, live weblogging, wireless networking workshops and robot 
   building. And, of course, plenty of stalls where you can buy all 
   kinds of weird stuff, from retro video games to cyberpunk fanzines, 
   commemorative internet tea-towels and Japanese junk food. 
   
   It's what a folk arts and crafts market would be like, had it been
   organised by the Daleks. It's...
   
   
                        EXTREME COMPUTING 
          The NTK/Mute Festival Of Inappropriate Technology
   
                  11am-7pm, Sunday June 9th 2002
      The Camden Centre, London (opposite Kings Cross station)
                     http://www.xcom2002.com/
   
             and it's all only THREE POUNDS to get in.
   

   Further updates and illustrations are available on the official 
   website: 
                     http://www.xcom2002.com/ 

   (click on "media" to go to special press area).
   
   PRESS INQUIRIES: please call Dave Green on 07719 907136 - or email 
   [using this form] - for further information, interviews, 
   or potentially inflammatory comments on a wide range of subjects. 
      
   Notes for editors:
   NEED TO KNOW ( http://www.ntk.net/ ) is the UK's longest running 
   independent technology newsletter, and the winner of last year's 
   Net-media award for "Internet Journalist(s) of The Year". 
   
   MUTE MAGAZINE ( http://www.metamute.com/ ) is the UK's leading 
   magazine on network culture, and describe themselves as "purveyors 
   of critical/information/services since 1994". 
   
   Final programme may be subject to alteration. Thanks for reading!