Documentary backdrop image for The Computer Programme (1982)

Documentary backdrop image for The Computer Programme (1982)

198225 min0documentary

6.5/ 10(2 ratings)• TMDB

Technology Innovation

The Computer Programme

198225 min0documentary

6.5/ 10(2 ratings)• TMDB

A BBC Micro computer was developed for the BBC Computer Literacy Project and featured in a 1982 TV series aimed at teaching the public about computers.

Technology Innovation

Genres

Synopsis

A BBC Micro computer was developed for the BBC Computer Literacy Project and featured in a 1982 TV series aimed at teaching the public about computers.

People

Chris Serle

Chris Serlecast

Ian McNaught-Davis

Ian McNaught-Daviscast

Gill Nevillcast

Synopsis

Paul Kriwaczek produced The Computer Programme, which aired on the BBC in 1982. The series aimed to educate the public about computers during a significant period of technological advancement. Central to the program is the BBC Micro, developed for the BBC Computer Literacy Project. The success of this series led to two follow-ups: Making the Most of the Micro in 1983 and Micro Live, which ran from 1984 to 1987. The program reflects the increasing role of technology in daily life.

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

1992: Remembering the Computer Literacy Project (2026)

1992: Remembering the Computer Literacy Project

Ian McNaught Davis presents a retrospective on the BBC Computer Literacy Project, highlighting its impact on public understanding of the micro-computer revolution.

1992: Remembering the Computer Literacy Project

1979: Will Computers Revolutionise Education? (2025)

1979: Will Computers Revolutionise Education?

Computers are transforming education, with schools integrating innovative software and hardware to prepare students for a future dominated by technology.

1979: Will Computers Revolutionise Education?

The Women Changing the Future of the Internet (2022)

The Women Changing the Future of the Internet

Only 5 percent of NFT art sales in 2021 went to women artists, reflecting the gender bias in the male-dominated crypto industry.

The Women Changing the Future of the Internet

Ilya: the AI scientist shaping the world (2023)

Ilya: the AI scientist shaping the world

More than 1,300 tech leaders and researchers are calling for a pause in AI development to assess risks like fake news and automated weapons.

Ilya: the AI scientist shaping the world

Why birth rates are falling everywhere all at once (2026)

Why birth rates are falling everywhere all at once

Falling birth rates worldwide, influenced by smartphones and digital media changes, pose significant challenges to workforce demographics, as reported by John Burn-Murdoch.

Why birth rates are falling everywhere all at once

The Untold Story That Changed Computing Forever (2023)

The Untold Story That Changed Computing Forever

Bill Gates and Steve Jobs compete to make computers accessible to the masses in the 1980s.

The Untold Story That Changed Computing Forever

Before Macintosh: The Apple Lisa | History Documentary (2024)

Before Macintosh: The Apple Lisa | History Documentary

The Apple Lisa, launched in 1983, was the first personal computer to combine a graphical user interface with a mouse, influencing modern computing.

Before Macintosh: The Apple Lisa | History Documentary

1982: Can Computers Think? (2025)

1982: Can Computers Think?

Artificial intelligence in computers is examined through the lens of problem-solving and strategic gameplay in this insightful edition of The Computer Programme.

1982: Can Computers Think?

1979: James Burke Versus THE Public (2025)

1979: James Burke Versus THE Public

James Burke engages in a candid discussion with seven members of the public, addressing topics like technology, education, and politics in a 1979 BBC interview.

1979: James Burke Versus THE Public

Modernising Monarchy - One Hundred Years of Technology (2023) (2023)

Modernising Monarchy - One Hundred Years of Technology (2023)

The evolution of the British monarchy over the past century is examined through the lens of technological advancements, featuring figures like Alan Turing and Yuri Gagarin.

Modernising Monarchy - One Hundred Years of Technology (2023)

Handmade Raft Vs. Ocean Waves and More! (2025)

Handmade Raft Vs. Ocean Waves and More!

Adam and Jamie build a raft with bamboo and duct tape to escape a deserted island.

Handmade Raft Vs. Ocean Waves and More!

Conveyor Belt Flight - MythBusters: There's Your Problem (2024)

Conveyor Belt Flight - MythBusters: There's Your Problem

The MythBusters team tests the myth of a plane taking off from a conveyor belt, exploring jet propulsion and conducting experiments with industrial vacuums.

Conveyor Belt Flight - MythBusters: There's Your Problem

Explore The Computer Programme

Cast & Crew Topics FAQ

Where else to watch

The Computers (2014)

The Computers

2014•20m•★10.0TMDB

Six women programmed the ENIAC, the first all-electronic programmable computer, during a secret U.S. project in World War II, yet received no credit for their work.

Moleman 2: Demoscene (2011)

Moleman 2: Demoscene

2011•1h30m•★9.0TMDB

During the 1980s, the demoscene subculture thrived as individuals from various countries created digital art, particularly on the Commodore 64.

Moleman 2: Demoscene

Before Macintosh: The Apple Lisa (2024)

Before Macintosh: The Apple Lisa

2024•1h48m•★7.0TMDB

Five years after its launch, the Apple Lisa was discontinued, yet it influenced the development of Macintosh, Windows, iOS, and Android systems.

Before Macintosh: The Apple Lisa

The Rubber-Keyed Wonder (2024)

The Rubber-Keyed Wonder

2024•2h6m•★6.2TMDB

The Sinclair ZX Spectrum, launched in the early 1980s, revolutionized home computing and gaming, influencing later models like the ZX Spectrum Next.

The Rubber-Keyed Wonder

William and the Windmill (2013)

William and the Windmill

2013•1h28m•★6.0TMDB

A young inventor from Malawi builds a windmill from scrap materials in 2001 to combat the severe famine affecting his family.

William and the Windmill

Banking on Africa: The Bitcoin Revolution (2020)

Banking on Africa: The Bitcoin Revolution

2020•48m•★5.9TMDB

Nigerian and Kenyan innovators leverage blockchain technology to transform financial access and economic opportunities across Africa amid global competition for cryptocurrency dominance.

Banking on Africa: The Bitcoin Revolution

Browse more like this

The Untold Story That Changed Computing Forever (2023)

The Untold Story That Changed Computing Forever

Bill Gates and Steve Jobs compete to make computers accessible to the masses in the 1980s.

The Untold Story That Changed Computing Forever

No digital watch option in your country

Handmade Raft Vs. Ocean Waves and More! (2025)

Handmade Raft Vs. Ocean Waves and More!

Adam and Jamie build a raft with bamboo and duct tape to escape a deserted island.

Handmade Raft Vs. Ocean Waves and More!

No digital watch option in your country

Conveyor Belt Flight - MythBusters: There's Your Problem (2024)

Conveyor Belt Flight - MythBusters: There's Your Problem

The MythBusters team tests the myth of a plane taking off from a conveyor belt, exploring jet propulsion and conducting experiments with industrial vacuums.

Conveyor Belt Flight - MythBusters: There's Your Problem

No digital watch option in your country

The Triumph of the Nerds: The Rise of Accidental Empires (1996)

The Triumph of the Nerds: The Rise of Accidental Empires

1996•2h45m•★7.4TMDB

Key figures from the personal computer revolution, including Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, recount their experiences building Apple and Microsoft in Silicon Valley.

The Triumph of the Nerds: The Rise of Accidental Empires

WDR Computernacht (2013)

WDR Computernacht

2013•4h•★6.4TMDB

Spanning 240 minutes, WDR Computer-Night covers the evolution of technology from early personal computers to the rise of the World Wide Web and smartphones.

WDR Computernacht

From Bedrooms to Billions: The Amiga Years (2016)

From Bedrooms to Billions: The Amiga Years

2016•2h32m•★7.2TMDB

Over 150 minutes of interviews and archival footage detail the Commodore Amiga's impact on video game development since its launch in 1985.

From Bedrooms to Billions: The Amiga Years

The Two-Thousand-Year-Old Computer (2012)

The Two-Thousand-Year-Old Computer

2012•1h15m•★7.7TMDB

Around 150-100 BCE, the Antikythera Mechanism was created, representing one of the earliest known analog computers in history.

The Two-Thousand-Year-Old Computer

Comedy Connections (2003)

Comedy Connections

2003•30m•★9.0TMDB

Six episodes in the first series feature interviews with cast and crew from notable British comedy shows, revealing their production stories and connections.

Comedy Connections

Detroit Lives (2010)

Detroit Lives

2010•30m•★7.0TMDB

Over 30 minutes, Johnny Knoxville meets young innovators in Detroit who are transforming their city through creativity and a DIY approach.

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →