The Machine That Changed the World [1992]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1245829/

The Machine That Changed the World is the longest, most comprehensive documentary about the history of computing ever produced, but since its release in 1992, it's become virtually extinct. Out of print and never released online, the only remaining copies are VHS tapes floating around school libraries or in the homes of fans who dubbed the original shows when they aired.

It's a whirlwind tour of computing, from its inception to the early Web, with brilliant archival footage and interviews with key players — several of whom passed away since the filming. Jointly produced by WGBH Boston and the BBC, it originally aired in the UK as The Dream Machine before its U.S. premiere in January 1992. Its broadcast was accompanied by a book co-written by the documentary's producer Jon Palfreman.


Episode Overview
Giant Brains:
The dawn of machine computation, from the earliest roots in the 1800s to the first working computers of the 1940s.

Inventing the Future:
The rise of commercial computing, from UNIVAC to IBM in the 1950s and 1960s.

The Paperback Computer:
The development of the personal computer and user interfaces, from Doug Engelbart and Xerox PARC to the Apple and IBM PCs.

The Thinking Machine:
The history of artificial intelligence, from Minsky to neural networks.

The World at Your Fingertips:
Computer networks, including the Internet, and their global impact on communication and privacy.