NOVA: THE MACHINE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD, PART 2: INVENTING THE FUTURE (TV)
Summary
One in this series of science documentaries. This program is the second part of a five-part series chronicling the history of computers. Episode two explores the following topics: the creation of the first commercial computer, the Universal Automatic Computer, or UNIVAC; J. Presper Eckert and John W. Mauchly's struggle to keep their computer company in business amidst the political conflicts of the McCarthy era; Great Britain's venture into the computer business; how UNIVAC became well-known after it was used during the 1952 presidential campaign; Thomas J. Watson, Jr.'s efforts to get his father's company, International Business Machines, into the computer business; why IBM computers sold more than UNIVACs even though they were slower; the problems that the binary system caused for computer programmers and how they were solved; the loss of jobs to computers; the invention of the transistor; and how the integrated circuit made it possible for a man to reach the moon. Also includes home movie footage taken by John W. Mauchly; clips of CBS News coverage of the 1952 election campaign in which UNIVAC is asked to predict the election results; clips of UNIVAC in movies; an IBM newsreel; clips of movies and television shows that depict the fear that workers would be replaced by machines; a clip with Ronald Reagan as the spokesperson for General Electric; footage of President John F. Kennedy challenging the U.S. to put a man on the moon; and footage from the first trip to the moon in which a computer plays an important part. Includes a promo for the next episode of this series.
Acquisition and cataloging of this program was made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS WGBH Boston, MA
- DATE: April 13, 1992
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:38
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:29973
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Public affairs/Documentaries; Technology; Computers
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1974-
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Promos - "Nova: The Machine That Changed the World"
CREDITS
- Jon Palfreman … Executive Producer
- Nancy Linde … Producer, Director, Writer
- Lauren Seeley … Associate Producer
- Peter Howell … Music by
- BBC Radiophonic Workshop … Music by
- Will Lyman … Narrator
- J. Presper Eckert
- Ted Withington
- Paul Ceruzzi
- Morris Hansen
- John Pikerton
- Watson Jr., Thomas J., Watson Jr., Thomas J.
- James Birkenstock
- Jean Sammet
- Robert Noyce
- Gorden Moore
- Stephen Wozniak