Richard H. E. Smith II is a Chicago, Illinois- and Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based [1] software engineer, computer consultant [2] and a science fiction fanzine publisher.
Richard H. E. Smith II is a Chicago, Illinois- and Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based [1] software engineer, computer consultant [2] and a science fiction fanzine publisher.
As a science fiction fan, Smith, with his wife, Leah Zeldes Smith, was 1993 winner of the Down Under Fan Fund [3] and delegate to Swancon 18, the Australian National Science Fiction Convention in Perth, Western Australia, [4] as well as to fan centers throughout the country. He has been selected as fan guest of honor by numerous science fiction conventions, including Windycon (1995), [5] ArmadilloCon (1995), First Contact (1998), ConQuesT (2000), Whatcon (1985) and Corflu (1991), [6] and has been a toastmaster at such conventions as ConFusion [7] and a frequent speaker and panelist on subjects related to fandom, fan publishing, science fiction and technology.
The Smiths' fanzine STET was a three-time Hugo Award nominee. [8] In the 1980s, Smith published the Hogu Award-winning title, Uncle Dick's Little Thing. [6] [9] He was extensively active in numerous amateur press associations during the 1970s and '80s, including the Fantasy Amateur Press Association and The Cult.; [6] he co-founded Windyapa. [10] The Smiths are currently members of the Milwaukee-based MilwApa. Dick was a recipient of the Peter J. Vorzimer Award. [6]
Smith and his wife organized ditto, a fanzine convention, in 1990 and 2001, [11] and have worked on many Worldcons and other science fiction conventions, [6] [10] including the 2014 NASFiC [12] and the 2015 Sasquan. [13]
They were the U.S. agents who spearheaded bidding efforts for Aussiecon Three, [10] and he was appointed Aussiecon's representative to the World Science Fiction Society's Mark Protection Committee. [14] Smith is a member of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, [15] the Cincinnati Fantasy Group [16] and General Technics. [2]
Smith is known within fandom for his interest in and collection of antique printing techniques and devices, such as hectographs, letterpresses, spirit duplicators, mimeographs and obsolete computers. [10]
Smith is founder and president of Dick Smith Software, a comprehensive computer consulting and network engineering firm in the Chicago area. [17] Prior to that, he developed software for such companies as Northrop Grumman, U.S. Robotics and 3Com. [2]
In his professional work, Smith contributes to science fiction, serving as a consultant to such authors as Frederik Pohl [18] and Mike Resnick.[ citation needed ]
Smith was one of the inventors of a "Method and protocol for connecting data calls using R2 signaling" granted U.S. Patent 6,233,237 in 2001. [19] He contributed to the textbook LAN Times Guide to Telephony (Osborne/McGraw-Hill). [20]
Smith was born in Milwaukee and reared in West Bend, Wisconsin, the eldest of the three sons of Richard H. E. Smith and Marilyn R. J. Smith. [21] [22] He graduated from the University of Wisconsin. [2]
He has been married to Leah Zeldes Smith since 1985; an incident at their wedding inspired Mike Resnick's novel The Dark Lady . [23]
Frederik George Pohl Jr. was an American science-fiction writer, editor, and fan, with a career spanning nearly 75 years—from his first published work, the 1937 poem "Elegy to a Dead Satellite: Luna", to the 2011 novel All the Lives He Led.
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or fandom of people interested in science fiction in contact with one another based upon that interest. SF fandom has a life of its own, but not much in the way of formal organization.
A science-fiction fanzine is an amateur or semi-professional magazine published by members of science-fiction fandom, from the 1930s to the present day. They were one of the earliest forms of fanzine, within one of which the term "fanzine" was coined, and at one time constituted the primary type of science-fictional fannish activity ("fanac").
Mike Glyer is both the editor and publisher of the long-running science fiction fan newszine File 770. He has won the Hugo Award 12 times in two categories: File 770 won the Best Fanzine Hugo in 1984, 1985, 1989, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2016 and 2018. Glyer won the Best Fan Writer Hugo in 1984, 1986, 1988, and 2016. The 1982 World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) committee presented Glyer a special award in 1982 for "Keeping the Fan in Fanzine Publishing."
Harry Warner Jr. was an American journalist. He spent 40 years working for the Hagerstown, Maryland, Herald-Mail.
George H. Scithers was an American science fiction fan, author and editor.
Arthur Wilson "Bob" Tucker was an American author who became well known as a writer of mystery, action adventure, and science fiction under the name Wilson Tucker.
The Sir Julius Vogel Awards are awarded each year at the New Zealand National Science Fiction Convention to recognise achievement in New Zealand science fiction, fantasy, horror, and science fiction fandom. They are commonly referred to as the Vogels.
The 1st World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) was held on 2–4 July 1939 in the Caravan Hall in New York City, United States, in conjunction with the New York World's Fair, which was themed as "The World of Tomorrow". It was later retroactively named "NyCon I" by Forrest J Ackerman.
The 30th World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), also known as L.A.con I, was held on 1–4 September 1972 at the International Hotel in Los Angeles, California, United States.
Howard DeVore was an American archivist, science fiction collector, dealer, expert on pulp magazines, APA and fanzine writer, con-runner and active volunteer in science fiction fandom.
The 68th World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), also known as Aussiecon Four, was held on 2–6 September 2010 in the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Philcon, also known as the "Philadelphia Science Fiction Conference", is an annual three-day science fiction convention held at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The convention is run by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society (PSFS).
The 33rd World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), also known as Aussiecon, or Aussiecon One, was held on 14–17 August 1975 at the Southern Cross Hotel in Melbourne, Australia.
STET is a science fiction fanzine, which has been published intermittently from Wheeling, Illinois by the married couple Leah and Dick Smith since the early 1990s. It was nominated for the Hugo Award in 1993, 1994 and 2001.
The Melbourne Science Fiction Club Inc. was founded in May 1952 by Race Mathews and others. It is the second oldest continuously active science fiction club in the world, after the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society. It meets once a month in Melbourne.
The 44th World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), also known as ConFederation, was held on 28 August–1 September 1986 at the Marriott Marquis and Atlanta Hilton in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
Bruce Gillespie is a prominent Australian science fiction fan best known for his long-running sf fanzine SF Commentary. Along with Carey Handfield and Rob Gerrand, he was a founding editor of Norstrilia Press, which published Greg Egan's first novel.
The Down Under Fan Fund, also known as DUFF, was created in 1970 for the purpose of providing funds to bring well-known and popular members of science fiction fandom familiar to fans on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.
NorthAmeriCon '79 was the second North American Science Fiction Convention, held in Louisville, Kentucky, on August 30-September 3, 1979, at the Galt House Hotel. This NASFiC was held because Brighton, England, was selected as the location for the 1979 Worldcon.