I read that the Dutch National Post (KPN) is taking over the Dutch internet provider HCC-net. To be more precise, it’s actually KPN’s subsidairy XS4ALL (More on XS4ALL’s exciting service over at Niels’ [English!]).
Yahren ago, the HCC (organizer of the infamous Dutch ‘HCC-dagen’) was a non-profit organization focussed on helping out computer freaks, generally by promoting people to start ‘user interests groups’. So many interests groups too: from modeltrains to computer languages. From Atari groups to MSX user groups. Those were amazing days and those days literally ended after their monthly magazine (HCC magazine) was bought up by a big Dutch publisher. I remember a stink around the editor-in-chief, who was replaced by a more commercial minded editor. The HCC-days? They went from happy-few-but-hands-on stuff moods to, well, you’ve-gotta-buy-it-here moods! I’m not sure anymore, if buying computer stuff at the HCC days still equates buying stuff cheap. Or if attending the HCC-days actually means keeping up with the guys and girls behind the stands (DOSBoss West rules, I hear Alfons still saying): the dufty ones, you know the ones that tell the bits apart from the bytes.
I bet it doesn’t matter anymore and that’s exactly where the organization, the HCC specifically, lost its charm.