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The Computer Programme (1): It's Happening Now (Introduction to Computing)

Jesús Zafra (Lobogris)1 HN recommenders · 2014–2025
84K views · documentary · dated · Uploaded 2012-09-06

The first episode of the BBC's 1982 television series The Computer Programme, introducing home computing to a general audience. It surveys mainframes, early personal computers such as the BBC Micro and Commodore PET, and the changing computer market of the time.

Cited as nostalgic period documentation of the early UK microcomputer era, with commenters fondly remembering the series and the BBC Micro.

History of computingDemoscene & retrocomputing

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3 comments from Hacker News

@dtf2014 · in “Mac and the Micro – memories of Ian McNaught-Davis”

I loved that programme and I loved my Model B. Serle & Mac were so easy to watch. It was on BBC2 (then so were a bunch of great early morning Open University programmes on subjects that were way over my young head). [VIDEO] Wasn't there also a weekly Radio 4 computer programme where they'd transmit a program that you could record on tape and then load onto your computer?

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@brudgers2015 · in “The Computer Programme and Micro Live”

Episodes: 1. It's Happening Now: [VIDEO] 2. Getting Down to Basic: [LINK] 3. Micro Live [with visit to Alan Turing play]: [LINK] 4. Clive Sinclair and Alan Sugar: [LINK] A very good look at changing markets. 5. -- Compilation 6. Blocked by YouTube.

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@AlbertoGP2025 · in “The man with a Home Computer (1967) [video]”

That man, Rex Malik, participated in (among other things) the 1982 BBC series “The Computer Programme” ( [LINK] ), typically in a small section at the end on an episode but also as narrator in other parts and is credited as “Programme Adviser”: Episode 1 - “It’s Happening Now”: [VIDEO] Episode 4 - “It’s on the Computer”: [LINK] Episode 5 - “The New Media“: [LINK] Episode 10 - “Things to Come”: [LINK]

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