3 Season
18 Episode
The Secret Life of Machines - Season 3 Episode 3 The Secret Life of the Word Processor
The name 'Word Processor' was invented by IBM. Their first machines were very difficult to use because they had no screen. A draft version was typed and stored on a magnetic card. After correcting the draft it could be automatically retyped, stopping wherever a change was needed. Episode Contents: Models: A bag full of LEDs are soldered to the pins of a microprocessor to show the massive switching going on inside. Machines: Some befuddled computer shopping automatons. A huge sloppy hand held ink jet print head by Rex. Guests: Various pre-qwerty antique typewriters. A 70's era micro with punchcard storage. Films: Old footage of early computers. Some goofy old 70's promotional video. Extro: A huge tractor feed spewing robot made of old computer hardware.
- Year: 1993
- Country:
- Genre: Documentary
- Studio: Channel 4
- Keyword: invention, engineering, educational, machine
- Director: Tim Hunkin
- Cast: Tim Hunkin, Rex Garrod
