History of Computers part 5 BBC Documentary.mp4

Summary

The video script narrates the transformative impact of early computing on the banking industry with the introduction of Irma, a machine that automated check processing and significantly increased efficiency. It discusses the evolution of computing from valve-based systems to transistors, which enabled the creation of smaller, more efficient computers like the Atlas. The advent of the integrated circuit (IC) revolutionized electronics by reducing size and cost while increasing reliability, exemplified by its critical role in NASA's Apollo 11 mission. The script highlights the shift from manual labor to technology-driven solutions and the emergence of Silicon Valley as a global electronics hub.

Takeaways

• 😲 The introduction of magnetic characters on checks revolutionized banking by automating data processing, leading to the creation of machines like Irma that were over 100 times faster than human bookkeepers.
• 💼 Despite fears of job displacement due to automation, new roles emerged within banks to manage the outputs and inputs of systems like Irma, demonstrating a shift in job nature rather than a total loss.
• 📈 The 1950s saw a boom in manufacturing, particularly in valves, which were essential components for early computers, indicating the rapid growth of the technology sector.
• 🏆 The transistor, a pivotal invention of the 20th century, replaced the bulky vacuum tubes in computers, leading to significant advancements in computing technology and earning its inventors the Nobel Prize.
• 🚀 The development of the transistorized computer, such as the Atlas, highlighted the need for smaller, more efficient components, which were crucial for space exploration and military applications.
• 🔄 The 'tyranny of numbers' problem, caused by the complexity of wiring numerous components, was addressed by the invention of the integrated circuit, which simplified and miniaturized electronic systems.
• ⚙️ The integrated circuit, or microchip, was initially met with skepticism by computer firms due to its radical nature and high cost, but its potential was eventually recognized, especially for space and military applications.
• 🌟 The integrated circuit's ability to be mass-produced led to a dramatic decrease in cost and an increase in reliability, making it a game-changer for the electronics industry.
• 📉 The cost of integrated circuits dropped significantly over time, with the number of components doubling annually, illustrating the rapid pace of technological advancement in the electronics sector.
• 🌕 The success of the Apollo 11 mission, which relied on an onboard computer built with integrated circuits, showcased the reliability and importance of this technology in high-stakes applications.

Q & A

What was the key feature of Irma that allowed it to be read by machines?

Irma had magnetic characters printed on it, which allowed it to be read automatically by machines.

How did Irma's introduction affect the speed of banking operations?

Irma was more than 100 times faster than the best human bookkeeper and virtually error-free, significantly increasing the speed of banking operations.

What were some of the new jobs created in the bank due to Irma?

New jobs created included handling reports from Irma centers and preparing work for Irma centers, which were less tedious than bookkeeping.

Why were valves important during the 1950s?

Valves were important because they were the main component that made computers possible, and computers consumed valves as fast as they could be manufactured.

What was the significance of the transistor for computer technology?

The transistor was a tiny electronic component that could replace the vacuum tube as the main switching element in a computer circuit, making computers smaller, lighter, and more efficient.

Who were the inventors of the transistor and what recognition did they receive?

The inventors of the transistor were Walter Brattain, John Bardeen, and William Shockley, who won the Nobel Prize in 1956.

What problem did the integrated circuit solve in computer manufacturing?

The integrated circuit solved the 'tyranny of numbers' problem by eliminating the need to hand wire large numbers of electronic components together.

What was the role of the integrated circuit in the Apollo 11 mission?

The onboard computer for the Apollo 11 mission, which was built from integrated circuits, was crucial for maneuvering the spacecraft into orbit and was the smallest computer in the world at the time.

How did the integrated circuit impact the electronics industry and its cost?

The integrated circuit allowed for mass production, which led to a significant decrease in cost and an increase in performance, reliability, and miniaturization of electronics.

What was the nickname given to the region in California that became the center of the electronics industry?

The region in California that became the center of the electronics industry was aptly named Silicon Valley.

What was the ultimate test of the integrated circuit's reliability as described in the script?

The ultimate test of the integrated circuit's reliability was during the Apollo 11 mission when the spacecraft lost contact with Mission Control and relied on the onboard computer to maneuver into orbit.

Outlines

00:00

💾 The Advent of Automated Bookkeeping and the Birth of Irma

The paragraph discusses the introduction of automated bookkeeping through machines like Irma, which significantly increased the speed and accuracy of financial record-keeping. Irma was over 100 times faster than human bookkeepers and virtually error-free, leading to the displacement of thousands of bookkeeping jobs. However, this technological advancement also created new roles within the banking sector, such as handling reports and preparing work for Irma centers. The paragraph highlights the transformative impact of computers like Irma on the nature of work, and how despite some job displacements, new opportunities emerged during prosperous times in Britain and America. It also touches on the fear of computers replacing human workers, which subsided as employment continued to rise.

05:02

🚀 The Transistor Revolution and the Rise of Integrated Circuits

This paragraph delves into the transistor, a tiny electronic component that revolutionized the computer industry. Invented by Walter Brattain, John Bardeen, and William Shockley, the transistor was a significant improvement over the vacuum tube, being smaller, lighter, and more energy-efficient. The transistor enabled the creation of the first transistorized computer, which was a massive leap from the valve computers of the time. The paragraph also discusses the development of the integrated circuit, which was a game-changer in electronics by allowing multiple components to be manufactured on a single piece of silicon. This innovation solved the 'tyranny of numbers' problem, where the complexity of wiring increased with the number of components. The integrated circuit's ability to miniaturize and simplify the manufacturing process led to a dramatic reduction in cost and an increase in reliability, paving the way for the electronics industry's exponential growth and the transformation of Silicon Valley into a global electronics hub.

Keywords

💡Magnetic Characters

Magnetic characters refer to symbols or data that can be read by magnetic readers, a technology that was pivotal for the automation of tasks like reading checks. In the video, this technology is highlighted as a key innovation that allowed machines like Irma to read account information from checks automatically, significantly increasing the speed and accuracy of banking operations.

💡Irma

Irma was an early computer system that automated bookkeeping tasks. The video describes Irma as being over 100 times faster than a human bookkeeper and virtually error-free, illustrating the transformative impact of early computing on traditional jobs and the efficiency of financial operations.

💡Magnetic Tape

Magnetic tape was a form of data storage that used magnetic particles to record information. The video mentions that account information was transferred onto reels of magnetic tape, showcasing an early method of digital data storage and the transition from manual to automated data management in banking.

💡Transistor

The transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals and electrical power. The video highlights the transistor as a key component that revolutionized computing by replacing the vacuum tube, leading to smaller, more efficient, and heatless computers. The significance of the transistor is underscored by the Nobel Prize awarded to its inventors.

💡Integrated Circuit (IC)

An integrated circuit is a set of electronic components on a single small chip of semiconductor material. The video explains how ICs solved the 'tyranny of numbers' problem by allowing for the miniaturization and mass production of electronic components, which drastically reduced costs and increased reliability, exemplified by the Apollo 11 mission's onboard computer.

💡Tyranny of Numbers

The 'tyranny of numbers' refers to the complexity and difficulty of manually wiring a large number of electronic components, which limited the potential for more powerful computers. The video describes how the advent of integrated circuits eliminated this problem by allowing for the automated production and assembly of components in a single process.

💡Silicon

Silicon is a chemical element that is a key material in semiconductors and the primary material used in the manufacture of integrated circuits. The video mentions that the integrated circuit was made from a single piece of silicon, highlighting the material's importance in the electronics industry and the origin of the term 'Silicon Valley.'

💡Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley is a region in California known for its high-tech innovation and electronics companies. The video describes the transformation of this area from agricultural land to the global hub of electronics, symbolizing the rapid growth and impact of the technology sector.

💡Apollo 11

Apollo 11 was the space mission that first landed humans on the Moon. The video emphasizes the critical role of the onboard computer, built with integrated circuits, in the success of the mission, demonstrating the reliability and importance of advanced computer technology in space exploration.

💡Reliability

Reliability in the context of the video refers to the dependability of technology, particularly the integrated circuits used in the Apollo 11 mission's onboard computer. The video highlights the necessity of high reliability for life-critical applications, such as space travel, where failure is not an option.

💡Mass Production

Mass production is the process of manufacturing large quantities of items. The video explains how the integrated circuit enabled the mass production of electronic components, leading to a significant reduction in cost and a boom in the electronics industry, exemplified by the plummeting prices of ICs and the growth of Silicon Valley.

Highlights

Magnetic characters on checks could be read automatically by machines, which was a key innovation.

Irma, a machine, was over 100 times faster than the best human bookkeeper and virtually error-free.

Irma's introduction led to the creation of new jobs within the bank, such as handling reports and preparing work.

The 1950s saw unprecedented growth in the manufacturing industry, driven by the demand for valves in computers.

The transistor, a tiny electronic component, was considered the most important invention of the 20th century.

The first transistorized computer was produced in 1956, the same year the Nobel Prize was awarded to the inventors of the transistor.

The transistor was much smaller and more efficient than the vacuum tube, making it ideal for computer circuits.

The ATLAS, built in 1962, was the most powerful transistorized computer in the world at the time.

The tyranny of numbers problem was a challenge in connecting thousands of components, until the integrated circuit was invented.

The first manufacturable integrated circuit was produced by Fairchild Semiconductor in California.

Integrated circuits solved the tyranny of numbers problem by allowing components to be made and wired together in one process.

Computer firms initially showed little interest in integrated circuits due to their radical nature and high cost.

NASA and the Pentagon recognized the potential of integrated circuits for building small, lightweight computers for space travel.

The mass production of integrated circuits led to a significant reduction in cost and an increase in reliability.

The integrated circuit's impact was compared to the printing press, allowing for cheap mass reproduction of electronic designs.

The electronics industry's growth was so rapid that it was likened to an automobile industry that could produce cars that were faster, more efficient, and cheaper.

Silicon Valley emerged as the electronics capital of the world, with a high concentration of electronics firms in a small area.

The Apollo 11 mission relied on an onboard computer built from integrated circuits, demonstrating their reliability.

The success of the Apollo 11 mission highlighted the importance of integrated circuits in space travel and computing.

Transcripts

magnetic characters printed on the

checks could be read automatically by

machines this was the key to Irma's high

speed and account information was

transferred to Reels of magnetic

tape the bank was delighted Irma was

more than 100 times faster than the best

human bookkeeper and virtually error

free now we think that Irma displaced

thousands of bookkeepers well we created

other jobs within the bank because of

Irma I mean somebody had to handle all

the reports coming back from the Irma

centers somebody had to prepare the work

going to the Irma centers there were

other jobs that were created that

weren't quite as boring and tedious as

being a

bookkeeper computers like Irma did

change the nature of people's work and

some jobs were eliminated but these were

prosperous times in Britain and America

the fear of computers replacing human

workers would slowly subside

as employment continued to

rise one industry that was experiencing

unprecedented growth during the 1950s

was manufacturing the component which

made the computer possible the valve

computers gobbled up valves as fast as

the manufacturers could turn them out

but the boom was about to come to an

abrupt

end radio

[Music]

to most people the transistor meant

small portable radios but the transistor

itself was a tiny Electronic Component

which some call the most important

invention of the 20th century its

inventors Walter brattin John Bine and

William Shockley won the Nobel Prize in

1956 in the same year as the first

transistorized computer went into

production the valve or vacuum tube had

been the main switching element in a

computer circuit it was realized that

the transistor could play precisely the

same role the transistor was much much

smaller than vac a vacuum tube for

example perhaps uh a 50th of size it it

weighed about a 100 times less than a

vacuum tube it gave off no heat uh it

required a fraction of the electrical

power that a vacuum tube

needed the atlas built at Manchester in

196 2 was the ultimate transistorized

computer at the time the most powerful

computer in the world it could handle a

million instructions every second

connecting up the thousands of

components created a wiring

nightmare this problem which multiplied

as the number of components increased

became known as the tyranny of

numbers until it was solved computers

more powerful than the atlas were hard

to

envisage and yet a solution to the

tyranny of numbers problem was already

available this was one of the earliest

integrated circuits a device that would

change the

world the idea was first suggested by

Jeffrey dummer a British radar engineer

in the early 50s but the scientists at

Fairchild Semiconductor in California

and in particular Robert no produced the

first first manufacturable integrated

circuit the

chip essentially it was made from just

one piece of silicon a material

fabricated from common sand chemically

altering small sections of the Silicon

made transistors the cone-shaped

structures chemically treating other

areas of the Silicon created other

electronic components then to wire

everything together in a circuit a layer

of metal was evaporated on top of the

structure the tyranny of numbers problem

in principle had been solved no longer

was it necessary to hand wire large

numbers of electronic components

together one manufacturing process made

the components and wired them together

and as an added bonus the circuitry of a

whole board could now be reduced to the

size of a fingernail

[Music]

the integrated circuit had been

announced in

1959 but surprisingly computer firms

showed little interest in this new

electronic

Marvel for some the integrated circuit

was just too radical a change but for

most it was just too expensive brilliant

though the advance was there seemed to

be no

takers if a spacecraft was to land a man

on the moon it would need an onboard

computer to maneuver it into orbit but

how could they put a computer into a

spacecraft when it could barely hold its

three astronauts transistorized

computers like the atlas weighed over 20

tons and contained miles of wire

extremely sensitive to heat and

vibration there were hardly devices to

be put aboard a

spaceship NASA scientists knew a small

lightweight computer could only be built

from integrated circuits and they were

willing to pay any

price so was the

Pentagon working around the clock

Electronics firms discovered the true

genius of the integrated circuit unlike

the old handwired transistor circuits

ic's could be mass-produced and prices

plummeted that's a very interesting

thing about this technology I think it's

what has made really made it so powerful

I call it a violation of Murphy's Law in

this situation uh by making things

smaller everything gets better

simultaneously the electronics become

higher performance uh they dissipate

less power uh they become a lot more

reliable particularly in complex systems

but most importantly they become

cheaper I compared it at one time to the

printing press that uh in this case you

could design it once and then reproduce

it many many times very very

inexpensively compared to let us say

having the monks write down the book and

copy it by hand which was sort of The

Way We Were building electronics at that

time we were taking all the elements and

then putting them together um with the

integrated circuit we get the chance of

doing the whole thing identically time

after

time at the start of the 60s the first

commercially produced integrated circuit

with less than 10 transistors and other

components cost

$11,000 in the years ahead ic's

underwent enormous change every year the

number number of components on an

integrated circuit

[Music]

doubled within a decade the cost of an

IC had dropped to

pennies nothing like this had ever

happened in the history of any

commercial

product my favorite analogy is if the

Auto industry had moved at the same

speed as our industry uh your car today

would uh Cru Cruise comfortably at a

million miles an hour probably get a

half a million miles per gallon of

gasoline but it would be cheaper to

throw away your Rolls-Royce and buy a

new one and the park it downtown for the

evening as the electronics industry grew

this California region was transformed

from Peach Orchards to the electronics

capital of the world aptly named Silicon

Valley with 300 Electronics firms in a

30 squ mile area even the streets bear

witness to the growing importance of

this new industry

eight years after John Kennedy's

challenge NASA's onboard computer built

from integrated circuits was completed

at the time it was the smallest computer

in the

world the success of the mission and the

lives of its astronauts depended on that

tiny

computer 72 hours after blastoff the

craft would lose contact with

control after that it would be up to the

computer it was the ultimate test of the

integrated circuit's

reliability Apollo 11 this is hon you go

for T over using the computer the

astronauts would have to maneuver into

orbit On the Dark Side of the Moon out

of contact with Mission Control

[Music]

and we've had loss of signal as

Apollo 11 goes behind the moon now they

were on their own their fate resting on

the ability of the onboard computer to

ease them into

[Music]

orbit with the whole world watching

Apollo 11 returned into view and

completed its historic

missional base here the has landed you

got a bunch of guys about to turn blue

we're breathing again thanks a lot this

remarkable achievement was celebrated by

millions of Americans among them a

generation of children who had never

known a world without space travel or

computers OT and Morley's Vision that

computers had a commercial future had

turned out to be right