Computer Chronicles

Season 15

TV-G
The most popular television program about consumer technology during the rise of the personal computer revolution from 1983 to 2002. Episodes featured interviews with luminaries from the tech industry.

Where to Watch Season 15

23 Episodes

  • Wireless Computing
    E1
    Wireless Computing
  • Internet Showcase Special (1997)
    E2
    Internet Showcase Special (1997)Highlights of Upside's 1997 Internet Showcase conference, shot on location at Laguna Niguel, California. A look at new internet sites, products, and businesses. Featured guests include Novell CEO Eric Schmidt (now chairman of Google), analyst Tim Bajarin, and David Coursey.
  • Push Technology
    E3
    Push TechnologyAs the Internet evolved, the big buzzword became "push", as in push information down to you and not wait for you pull it up. This program looks at several approaches to push technology including Castanet, PointCast, BackWeb, Netscape Netcaster, and Incisa. Guests include Marimba President and CEO Kim Polese.
  • Java Tools
    E5
    Java ToolsThe rise of the web created an opportunity for a programming language that was independent of the user platform. Java was the first major language to take advantage of that. This program looks at various versions of Java and Java apps including Instant Coffee, the Lotus Bean Machine, Novita Live Letter, and CUChat 1.0.
  • The Virtual University/Virtual Universities
    E6
    The Virtual University/Virtual UniversitiesWith the growing sophistication of the Internet, colleges and universities started to build an online curriculum to enable students to take credit classes on the web.
  • Cyber Fiction
    E7
    Cyber FictionThe advent of the computer and the internet provided a totally new platform for story telling. This program looks at a new paradigm for novelists using interactive technology.
  • Electronic Commerce/E-Commerce
    E10
    Electronic Commerce/E-CommerceA look at the growing business of electronic commerce based on computers and the internet.
  • Battle of the Browsers
    E11
    Battle of the BrowsersWhen Microsoft started giving away Internet Explorer, it became a serious challenger for Netscape. This program looked at the battle to become the dominant internet browser platform.
  • Comdex Special/Best of Comdex 1997
    E13
    Comdex Special/Best of Comdex 1997A review of new products introduced at the 1997 annual Comdex trade show in Las Vegas. Featured products include HP LaserJet 4000 printer, the Cyberstik virtual reality joystick, Crosspad which transfers written notes to your PC, and face recognition software called FaceIt PC. Also features highlights of the Bill Gates keynote address.
  • Web Plug-Ins
    E17
    Web Plug-InsIn the early days of the web, you often had to add a variety of applications to make your web browser fully functional. These were sometimes called web plug-ins. This programs shows several examples including RealPlayer and RealAudio, Adobe Acrobat, MacroMedia Flash and Director, PalaceSpace, Apple QuickTime VR, and Netopia Virtual Office.
  • Cyber Privacy
    E18
    Cyber PrivacyHow do you maintain your privacy and still play in the online world? This program offers some suggestions including LPWA, the Lucent Personal Web Assistant, PGP5.5 Personal Privacy encryption software, the Anonymizer, and Firefly Networks Passport software. Also features a visit with a private investigator who deals with cyber privacy issues and a look at how eBay tries to avoid online scams.
  • Putting Your Business Online
    E19
    Putting Your Business OnlineThe internet enabled just about anyone to open up an online business. But how do you do it? This program looks at several tools and options. Demonstrations include Claris Home Page, Web Site Garage, and Progress Software's WebSpeed. Model online businesses reviewed include reel.com, the proshop.com, and portabote.com. Featured guest is Rhonda Abrams, small business consultant.
  • Best Computer Online Games
    E20
    Best Computer Online GamesAs the web continued to grow, games started moving off the PC and onto the internet. This program looks at several examples including gamers, Magic: The Gathering, zone, SubSpace, and Underlight. Includes a visit to the Professional Gamers League conference and an interview with gaming megastar Dennis Fong (aka Thresh).
  • Home Design Software
    E21
    Home Design SoftwareCAD software eventually migrated down to home users with tools that let you design the inside and outside of your house. This program demonstrates several examples including LandDesigner from Sierra Home, Better Homes and Gardens Online, Picture This Home from AutoDesk, 3D Home Architect Deluxe from Broderbund, and GraphiSoft's ArchiCAD.
  • Data Storage Solutions
    E22
    Data Storage SolutionsFiles were getting bigger and bigger and computer users were struggling to find more efficient ways to store their data. This program looks at several solutions including StuffIt Deluxe 4.5, Safeguard Interactive Backup 3.0, Syquest's SparQ Drive, Iomega's Clik. Drive, FutureArts as used by the San Francisco Digital Library, and the DynaMO 640 magneto optical drive.
  • My Web Site
    E26
    My Web SiteCreating your own web site requires a lot of work to be appealing and accessible.
  • Desktop Video
    E27
    Desktop VideoA review of some of the early hardware and software products for desktop video. Demonstrations include Sony's DS250 digital video camera, VideoBrush Panorama, Pinnacle Systems' microVideo DV300 editing software, Character Studio for 3D StudioMAX, and Play Incorporated's Trinity "studio-in-a-box".
  • SPA Codie Awards 1998
    E31
    SPA Codie Awards 1998On-location coverage of the 1998 annual CODIE awards presented by the Software Publishers Association. Twenty-three awards were given to the best new software programs in a variety of categories. Winner of the lifetime achievement award was Dan Bricklin, developer of VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet.
  • Computer Bowl X: Part 1
    E33
    Computer Bowl X: Part 1East meets West in this classic quiz show about computer trivia. East coast team: Seth Godin, Walt Mossberg, Ken Wasch, Mike Zisman, and Robert Ziff. West coast team: Marc Andreesen, Scott Cook, Bill Krause, Michael Slade, Denise Caruso. Guest questioner: John Ratzenberger. Host: Stewart Cheifet.
  • Computer Bowl X: Part 2
    E34
    Computer Bowl X: Part 2The conclusion of this annual quiz show classic on computer trivia in which East meets West. East team: Seth Godin, Walt Mossberg, Ken Wasch, Mike Zisman, and Robert Ziff. West team: Marc Andreesen, Scott Cook, Bill Krause, Michael Slade, Denise Caruso. Hosts: Stewart Cheifet and John Ratzenberger.
  • Digital Living Room
    E43
    Digital Living RoomOn-location coverage of the 1998 Digital Living Room conference presented by Upside magazine in Laguna Niguel, California. This conference was the first to try and define the wired, and wireless, consumer future. Guests include David Coursey, Mike Langberg, Larry Magid, Philippe Kahn, Kai Krause of Kai's Power Tools, and MSNBC anchor Brian Williams.
  • Online Travel Planning
    E48
    Online Travel PlanningOnline travel sites grew from just booking planes and hotels to planning exotic adventure trips. This show looks at several examples including DeLorme's AAA Map'n'Go, lonelyplanet.com, Wild Africa CD-ROM from Sumeria, and CitySearch. Other travel sites covered include previewtravel.com, thetrip.com, biztravel.com, and frommers.com.
  • Doc in a Box
    E50
    Doc in a BoxNew software and online resources can turn your computer into a health information center.

Cast of Computer Chronicles • Season 15

  • Stewart CheifetSelf - Host

 

  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   

Take Plex everywhere

Watch free anytime, anywhere, on almost any device.
See the full list of supported devices