Minho Campus Party


Minho Campus Party was Portugal's first and largest recurring LAN party. It took place in the Minho Province region.

History

LAN parties, which are local area network gaming events where participants bring their computers together to play multiplayer games, did indeed originate in Northern Europe. The concept gained popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, primarily in countries like Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. It provided a unique platform for young people to connect and engage in social gaming experiences.
LAN parties have since expanded globally, attracting young people from different parts of the world who share a common interest in computers and computing. These events have become a manifestation of the new opportunities and avenues for youth culture in the digital age. By fostering communities centered around gaming and technology, LAN parties have created spaces for like-minded individuals to connect, collaborate, and celebrate their shared passion.
Date start / endNumber of participantsLocationArea
2001August 29 - September 2300Braga, Parque de exposições
2002July 31 - August 4600Guimarães, Pavilhão Multiusos
2003July 30 - August 31500Viana do Castelo, Pavilhão da Associação Industrial do Minho
2004July 28 - August 11700Braga, Estádio Municipal9500

MCP 2005 Cancelled

Despite its increasing popularity over the previous 4 editions, the 2005 event, was cancelled due to a lack of sponsors.

Professor Altamiro Machado

The idea of introducing an event of this nature to Portugal, specifically in the Minho area, originated from Professor Altamiro Machado. Professor Machado, known for his pioneering work in computer science education during the 1970s, served as a professor and director of the Department of Information Systems at Minho University.
In his pursuit of bringing this concept to life, Professor Machado actively sought support and established contact with the team led by Charles Pinto, who was responsible for organizing a similar event in Spain. Thanks to Professor Machado's initiative, a group of approximately forty DSI students had the opportunity to participate in the Campus Party 2000 held in Valencia. Their participation aimed to gather experience and contribute to the future implementation of a similar event in Portugal.
Tragically, Professor Machado died at the end of March 2001. During the subsequent 2001 event, a dedicated session was organized to pay homage to the professor's invaluable contributions.

Network

Cisco Systems has been a steadfast supporter of the MCP since its inaugural edition and continued its partnership for the subsequent four years. Cisco Systems played a crucial role in building the network infrastructure and providing the necessary equipment, representing an investment of over two million dollars. Their support has been instrumental in ensuring the success of the event.
Following Cisco Systems' involvement, ProCurve Networking, a division of HP, took over the responsibility of supplying the network infrastructure and equipment for MCP. Additionally, Portugal Telecom has provided support in establishing the connection for the event, further contributing to its smooth operation.

MCP 2004

Areas

When official competitions didn't exist, participants frequently organized competitions between themselves, of which many became officially recognized by the organization.

Articles and news

Press releases