Triumph of the Nerds Reviews

• What a horrible Butcher Job of a Masterpiece!!!!!

  
  By A2XRH0S9N8UEA9 on 2005-02-02
  So there I was......browsing through Amazon.com and on "the page I made" up pops, guess what? Triumph of the Nerds on DVD. Seeing this, I was just reaching for my credit card to snap up a copy of it when BAM! I read one of the reviews......
  
  
  Still a great show, but the Ambrose edition is not complete!, October 28, 2004
  Reviewer: Sean Breazeal (Mt. Pleasant, UT USA)
  
  I immediately checked with Bob, and Yes, sure enough, several minutes had been cut from the original US release for "space" requirements.
  In his defense, Bob had no input on this. Were it me? I'd be hopping mad.
  
  Instead of the publisher, Ambrose, using this opportunity to create a new and valuable product by adding deleted scenes, extended version, and extras, they chose to go on the cheap and cut to fit rather than make a product worth purchasing.
  
  Bob Cringely is a genius and is thorough in all he does. Had they used this chance to extend what was probably the best compilation of the modern 'net age and add what I'm sure was hours of extra content Bob had to cut, I'd have been the first guy willing to pay retail to buy it. Having purchased 3 copies of the boxed video set (1 lost to a fire, 1 lost to a non-returning friend) there would have been NO hesitation to this. In fact, I'd have watched it straight through on receipt.
  
  What a HORRIBLE, horrible mistake Ambrose has made.
  FIX IT!!!!
  
  Don't walk, RUN from this edition. I know it's Old school, but do yourself a favor and buy the video tape version. You'll thank me later.
  
  

• Still a great show, but the Ambrose edition is not complete!

  
  By A2NU3IJYTDIPCI on 2004-10-28
  Triumph of the Nerds is still one of the best public level documentaries about the origins and development of personal computers from their beginnings in the mid-70's on through the IBM/Apple years and into the mid-90's with the launch of Windows 95. It is dated somewhat, especially at the end with the forecasts about the future growth of the internet and what it would mean to PC and Mac development and the world. Nothing was truer then than remains today, predicting the long-term future of the computer and internet industry is simply impossible.
  
  What troubles me with this edition by Ambrose is that they have apparently sacrificed bits and pieces here and there for some unfathomable reason. The main points are all still there, but some of the side stories and flavors have been cut. Examples include Steve Wozniak's description of his early interest in electronics in finding an old AT&T phone company manual to learn to hack into the phone system to call the Pope. It cuts Steve Jobs' description of his early experiences with Bill Gates, saying that the original version of Word was "just terrible but they kept at it...", and someone whose name I can't remember describing the early mainframes and trying to use one as "you were lucky if your entire city had one mainframe, and, if your company had it, there would only be one." These are the ones I noticed right off, I'm sure there are others and they are minor things, but it's troubling that a company buys the rights to a show and edits it for whatever reason rather than simply giving us the whole deal.
  
  

• Sociopaths, egomaniacs, hippies and nerds.

  
  By A6VPIOPMDJ8H7 on 2000-09-19
  And we have THEM to thank for all of this.

  Your humble author can't help but wonder how Bob Cringely got the likes of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, Paul Allen and others in front of the cameras for an honest look inside the slightly twisted minds that begat the personal computer.

  At 3 hours in length, "Triumph of the Nerds" isn't just a PBS miniseries. On home video, it becomes an epic. And why shouldn't it be? The personal computer has an impact on our lives equal to that of the light bulb and the automobile. But in the case of the PC, most of the people responsible for its creation and worldwide influence are still alive. These are flesh and blood humans, not fading historical sketches like Henry Ford and Thomas Edison.

  "Triumph of the Nerds" was originally produced as a 20-year retrospective on the personal computer. But the PC will be 25 years old in the year 2000. I can't wait to see Bob Cringely's follow up.
  
  

• An opportunity lost

  
  By AFYC7C3DSB2TA on 2005-11-29
  I'd have to agree fully with Eric J. White's review. The Cut scenes may have been minor in terms of time, but in terms of insight they were quite major
  
  
  
  
  • Cutting: of Steve Wozniak's Blue Box (without it Steve Jobs admits there wouldn't have been an Apple), and the funny story about waking the Pope late at Night.
    
    
  • Cutting: An Engineer explaining his reason why Jobs was so obnoxious in articulating his feedback to engineers during product development & then Jobs giving his opinion for his behaviour.
    
    
  • Cutting: Showing how easy it was for computer companies (in the wake of compaq) to buy parts off the shelf and make IBM clones.
    
    
  • Cutting: In the early days, Bill Gates wrote an open letter to people about copying software -> "Your Thieves!".
    
    
  • Cutting: How Bill at the head of microsoft could be around for a long time more into the future, due to his attitude of surrounding himself with the smartest young people (who are also willing to sell their souls), and coming up with new ways to further entrench Microsoft into the OS & App market.
    
  
  
  I could go on with one or two more cut scenes that gave this Gem of a series its gleam.
  
  Anyway it has been 10 years since this documentary was made, which means that Cringley's Universal Law of products taking 30 years since its initial release to find applications in our day to day life, has just reach maturity. I think it is time that Bob seriously thought about doing a Nerds 3.02, the wheel has turned in such a peculiar way. It is time to review what Jobs, Gates, Ellison & others have coped with, and acheived over the last 10 years.
  
  

• Wonderfully entertaining documentary for the non-techies

  
  By A1P2NBM3P3TS2X on 2001-04-09
  Call it the "E! True Hollywood Story" of the PC industry. Cringely takes a thorough (and thoroughly funny) look at the birth of the PC and the dogged determinism and wild coincidences that ushered in a new technological era. This is Big Business, Big Egos, and VERY Big Money, and the video is as much entertaining as informative. Lots of fun and captivating to watch. Far superior to the Nerds 2.0 follow-up, and immensely superior to the made-for-cable movie "Pirates of Silicon Valley."
  
  
• The most educational educational tape I have seen.
  By A1S3C5OFU508P3 on 2002-01-06
  This is the most interesting educational videotape that I have ever seen. It irreverently, but accurately, chronicles the rise of the PC as a force in the modern world. Quite naturally, much of the focus is on Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Paul Allen and Bill Gates, as they are the four most widely known individuals in the personal computer field. However, a great deal of time is also spent in explaining the role of others, so that it could be more accurately titled, "Triumph of Some of the Nerds." While the actions of Gates, Jobs and gang are important, some of the most significant events are those of others, who missed incredible opportunities.
  It is astonishing to learn that the program that became MS-DOS was purchased for $50,000 with no residuals. This should become a story to rival the purchase of Manhattan for the fabled $... in beads. Representatives from IBM went to the creator of CPM, which was the best-selling microcomputer operating system at the time. Their goal was to obtain an operating system that could be used in their upcoming line of personal computers. Unbelievably, they were kept waiting and those representatives gave up and went back to Microsoft where they
  signed the deal for MS-DOS.
  The scientists at Xerox Palto Alto Research Center (PARC) created many of the modern principles of computing such as the Graphical User Interface (GUI). Steve Jobs is passionate in his description of his reaction when he saw it for the first time. However, Xerox gained nothing but prestige from their inventions. The last of these stories is that the creators of the spreadsheet receive no royalties at all from their invention.
  Two very powerful personalities, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, have been instrumental in taking ideas from others and turning them into billion dollar products. While Gates keeps his intensity under wraps in public, not so with Steve Jobs. Towards the end of the tapes, he describes his feelings towards Microsoft. He does not complain about their business practices, but about their lack of vision and style. From his mannerisms, tone of voice and eye expressions, you see a man who cares deeply about the quality of human-machine interactions. It is a powerful piece of video.
  This is a tape that should be in every library, from the small-town public to that of the biggest universities. In a few hours, you learn the history of how the personal computer was made personal. Cringely does a superb job in describing events that simply would never have occurred to a writer of fiction. It should be mandatory viewing in all computer science and introduction to business classes.

  Published in Mathematics and Computer Education, reprinted with permission.
  
  

• A really great intro to the history of the computing era
  By on 2003-09-22
  if you haven't seen it on pbs before, this is a great way to get a good understanding of how the megalithic companies we know as microsoft and apple etc. have come to be. who knew that a company that sold a box of 1's and 0's would be more wealthy than all of the oil companies? now if only the dvd and vhs versions would come down in price a little more into the $20 range (used to be around $89!!!)...
  
  
• Good show but both the DVD and VHS are editted
  By AQX5KTS7MZ6AE on 2006-05-14
  I am in agreement with several of the reviews that indicate the DVD version is editted. Sadly, so is the used VHS copy I purchased. Maybe it was once available on VHS uneditted but not anymore. Beyond the scenes already mentioned as missing, additional scenes include more background on the Mac team and Steve Job's recruitment for the team; early discussions at Apple to make the Mac open source; and an extended scene about the "Microserfs". By my count there are 21 edits (large and small) which add an additional 15 to 20 minutes. I see no reason for the edits since they could easily fit on a videotape or stereo DVD. I am guessing Bob thought he improved the pacing of this program by the edits and a few are more "politically correct." But I am still waiting for the full version. In the meantime, I will keep my old broadcast edition.
  
  
• The ultimate history of the personal computer era.
  By on 2000-09-18
  If you ever wanted to know how the personal computer era got its start and who where the people behind it, this is the series you want. In this three tape set you get the begining of the personal computer, how the IBM PC was created, and then the creation of the GUI (Graphical User Interface) on the Mac and eventually on the PC with Windows.

  Bob Cringley is an excelent presenter and has been reporting the computer industry for quite a while.
  
  

• Movie Motivation
  By AY6VRX0UFCRPR on 2001-07-27
  I've been watching and reading Cringely's work for years. He knows everything about the technology business and he has many industry contacts. This collection of tapes is a must-have for any techie. Whenever I feel down down and lack motivation, I just pop in these tapes. After 30 minutes, I'm so inspired that I can work for hours. The tapes allow me to focus on success. Even though a lot of these companies are now dead or barely alive, it's still gratifying to hear how they went from nothing to billionaires. Great work! Also check out Nerds 2.0.1, which is also a Cringely video that covers more recent companies and the evolution of the Internet. I wish they would release this stuff on DVD - my VHS player has had it.
  
  
• Fantastic! A must see for anyone using a Mac or Wintel Pc.
  By A1XF06AFGMTOV6 on 2002-09-10
  This is the history of computers condensed. You get a good grasp of what happened between Microsoft and Apple. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are interviewed. Key players at Xerox and Ibm are also interviewed. This is a very informative documentary but lacks, the personal story telling appeal of the Pirates of Silicon Valley (a must have vhs tape that dramaticizes this documentary). This Dvd pretty much explains how it is we came to using mice and file folders and pictures instead of boring command line text entries. It's a great documentary. Buy it. You won't be disappointed.
  
  
• A Good Introduction to PC History
  By A1U4CNFINKWX25 on 2004-04-04
  It is a good source to take a glimpse of the history of PC industry to year 1995. It briefly introduced how the major players like Apple, Microsoft, and IBM being involved in the PC industry. There are a number of participants in this DVD talked about their stories. However, the introduction of those participants is too fast and I find it is hard to follow. Overall, I think it is a good documentary and quite interesting.
  
  
• I LOVE EVERYTHING WRITTEN OR FILMED ABOUT SILICON VALLEY! THIS IS WONDERFUL STUFF!
  By A3MFU0GVZUVH3K on 2005-09-03
  The last review of this epic video was five years ago (see below) and I'm just getting around to discovering it. I saw it listed with The Pirates of Silicon Valley and just had to buy it. Better late than never!
  
  Wonderful stuff.
  
  I love reading and viewing anything I can get my hands on about this lovely Valley I call home. I'm fascinated by stories about these adventurous young nerds/geniuses who spawned the personal computer. The only one of them I truly know is Steve Wozniak and I think he's a genius AND a fine human being, very devoted to children and a generous contributor to the Silicon Valley community.
  
  As the director of this video says, The Woz has a wonderful sense of humor. I found that out when I asked him for permission to use him as a character in my novel THE TOONIES INVADE SILICON VALLEY. So cool of him, and as a result my book is unique among books.
  
  And now THE PIRATES OF SILICON VALLEY is out, giving us the serious inside story of what really happened in the early days of personal computers, infighting and all. And for comic relief, there's THE TOONIES INVADE SILICON VALLEY.
  
  What a fun place to live!
  
  
• Computer Geeks Must Have
  By A1UUXPG0PTEBVJ on 2003-05-14
  I'm a software engineer and watched this DVD like 100 times. It's just amazing how this computer thing started, and Bill Gates knew this was going to be big. Steve Jobs still is evolutionaizing the industry with new products. Must have for computer geeks.
  
  
• Excellent Collection for PC Enthusiasts
  By A92XVSV8LADWZ on 2004-04-05
  This DVD contains only 1 disc with 3 episodes and approximately runs total of 165 minutes. No special features nor any extra production notes. The only feature is english subtitles. Period. As close to US$50, this seems abit costy. However, no other documentaries have done a better job than Robert Cringely's "Triumph of the Nerds". Yes, it's expensive but you will not regret to own a copy.
  Robert Cringely's done a terrific job, he played back the entire history and revolution of PC industry to you with a relaxing and entertaining way. You can simply sit and enjoy of this three hours show non-stop without finding it boring. Cringely interviewed lots of key players in the PC industry and let them to tell you what they did and how they influenced and kept in leading position in the PC industry. Steve Job said in his interview: "Good artist copy, great artist steal...." to describe his time in the PC revolution and how he's done great jobs for Apple. If you're one of the PC enthusiasts, this is a MUST-HAVE collectible item.
  
  
• The Best Documentary EVER!!!!
  By A2YM6JTQIBZ8YC on 2005-11-03
  If the previous reviewer says the vhs version is better and edit-free, then please get the vhs version.
  
  This series RULES. It goes through the whole history is the PC. The old commercials are charming. Its also probably the last time you will see in-depth interviews with guys like Jobs and Gates in one package. The host is very knowledgeable and entertaining.
  
  FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC!
  
  
• Sociopaths, egomaniacs, hippies and nerds.
  By on 1999-01-23
  And we have THEM to thank for all of this.

  Your humble author can't help but wonder how Bob Cringely got the likes of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, Paul Allen and others in front of the cameras for an honest look inside the slightly twisted minds that begat the personal computer.

  At 3 hours in length, "Triumph of the Nerds" isn't just a PBS miniseries. On home video, it becomes an epic. And why shouldn't it be? The personal computer has an impact on our lives equal to that of the light bulb and the automobile. But in the case of the PC, most of the people responsible for its creation and worldwide influence are still alive. These are flesh and blood humans, not fading historical sketches like Henry Ford and Thomas Edison.

  "Triumph of the Nerds" was originally produced as a 20-year retrospective on the personal computer. But the PC will be 25 years old in the year 2000. I can't wait to see Bob Cringely's follow up
  
  

• Requisite viewing for geeks and technophiles
  By A2W3KBMFRUDU4J on 2001-11-14
  Tracing back to the days before Microsoft even existed (and ending just before the Internet boom) Bob Cringely's candid interviews with Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, Larry Ellison, Steve Wosniak, and many others make this tape set very enjoyable to watch. An absolute must for those in the computing world, particularly the engineers. Bob's humor, style, and wit make this set stand the test of repeated viewings. Note: lacking the same charm and charisma the follow-up - Nerds 2.0.1 - takes a back seat to this video. Bob's non-techie video "Plane Crazy" is worth a watch on its own merits, if not simply for the scene when he experiences an emotional meltdown and assaults the cameraman.
  
  
• Quick College Course in Personal Computer History
  By A15W54CJSWDGJJ on 2003-01-05
  Finally available in DVD!! I bought it first in VHS and loved it and then bought 5 more sets for Christmas presents. Have been waiting for the DVD and bought that also for myself. This is a great lesson in the history and development of the Personal Computer. I have taught college classes on computers and have used parts of this in the classroom. It is an active lesson in history as it relates to the current news all around us and has videos of all of the key players in the development of the PC and the Internet. It is fascinating. I watch it over and over and learn new things all the time.
  Even non-computer people that have come over to my house have enjoyed viewing it.
  
  
• Excellent Collection for PC Enthusiasts
  By A92XVSV8LADWZ on 2004-04-05
  This DVD contains only 1 disc with 3 episodes and approximately runs total of 165 minutes. No special features nor any extra production notes. The only feature is english subtitles. Period. As close to US$50, this seems abit costy. However, no other documentaries have done a better job than Robert Cringely's "Triumph of the Nerds". Yes, it's expensive but you will not regret to own a copy.

  Robert Cringely's done a terrific job, he played back the entire history and revolution of PC industry to you with a relaxing and entertaining way. You can simply sit and enjoy of this three hours show non-stop without finding it boring. Cringely interviewed lots of key players in the PC industry and let them to tell you what they did and how they influenced and kept in leading position in the PC industry. Steve Job said in his interview: "Good artist copy, great artist steal...." to describe his time in the PC revolution and how he's done great jobs for Apple. If you're one of the PC enthusiasts, this is a MUST-HAVE collectible item.
  
  

• The Best MBA
  By A1HE9D53HETVCE on 2005-08-10
  This incridable history and MBA guides us to first believe on our dreams. Second, been a deep observer. Look out of the box. Last, believe on your staff. Don't let your proud as CEO deafs you. Xerox could've been a $250B company!!! This is the most important lesson.
  
  
• Entertaining history of the people behind the PC revolution
  By on 1999-07-03
  There is an old saying that you never realize history while you're living it... well, after watching "Triumph of the Nerds", I have a better appreciation for the historical impact of the revolution we have lived through in the past 25 years.
  
  To think that 25 years ago the idea of a "personal" computer on your desk was laughable! This video is well-produced, well-written, and highly entertaining (even for "non-techies" like myself)! And the cast of characters (Gates, Jobs, Wozniak, Allen, etc.) are as fascinating as any fictional characters a writer could dream up... Hats off to Mr. Cringely for this important work... should be required viewing in high-school classrooms everywhere!
  
  
• Brilliant!
  By on 1999-06-30
  The last volume of this excellent set ended off with a quiet bang. I really enjoyed all of the interviews with the influential players in the world of the nerds.
  
  
• Interesting and informative documentary for all history buffs
  By ARV0JRNW0DKXY on 2007-03-26
  Triumph Of The Nerds is perfectly placed as a 1996 release, well documenting everything leading up to that point. Over three chaptors, Robert Cringely explains (with authority) how Apple made computing easy, how IBM made computing corporate, and how Microsoft made money from both these companies.
  
  Although an entertaining and attention-holding series of documentaries, you will need to put yourself 'back in time' to really appreciate it. This is not a documentary that timelines the development of the personal computer. Instead, as is clearly stated by the title, this DVD shows us how a bunch of young nerds rose up to become major players in the industry. If you're looking for insights from the people themselves, including big-players like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, then watch this. If you're looking for something that explains how people felt when the CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, internet and mobile computing were released, then this show isn't for you.
  
  What it needs is a fourth edition of the series. At the end of the third part, Bob Cringely says he'll see us in ten years, and if only we could have another edition that covers this time period. While the third documentary covers the release of Windows 95 (the period of time when this show was produced), it would do well with another edition covering Windows 98, XP and Vista, the return by Steve Jobs to Apple, a progress on Larry Ellison, and how the Internet has changed software development.
  
  But, if you are just a fan of early computing history, like myself, then you'll be more than happy with this title.
  
  
• It's In The Details
  By A371XHOU7P78TV on 2007-05-07
  Triumph of the Nerds is an excellent accounting of our computer industry. The interviews with the top CEO's and founders of some of our greatest companies is an interesting insight into the growth of a modern industry. It is also interesting to see how luck played a role, as well as pirating.
  
  The viewer will surely come to understand that we are just now in the infancy of computing and that the future is very bright and vast. Investors will also notice this fact and they will observe the market trends to decide where to invest their money to capture future growth.
  
  I especially enjoyed the interviews and comments by Steve Wozniak. He contributed some of the most incisive work that allowed computers to come to our desktops. He is a very unassuming man who simply enjoyed his hobby and I got the feeling that he still does.
  
  It makes you appreciate the strangers that you see everyday while sitting in a restaurant or driving down the road. Who amongst these strangers are the next Steve Wozniak, or Michael Gates? You come to understand that anyone you see can be a person who contributes the next advancement to mankind and gives one an appreciation of our fellow man.
  
  Triumph of the Nerds illustrates beautifully that great minds are to be admired, as much if not more so than the best of our professional athlete's. We all would benefit if we would do more to celebrate our worlds great minds.
  
  
• Technology Teacher's Perspective
  By A3DNDFR364XJO7 on 2008-08-27
  There are plenty of well written reviews here on this excellent DVD so I'll just focus on its instructional value.
  
  I purchased this DVD a year ago right here from Amazon.com because I remembered how excellent the program was when I watched it on PBS in 1996. I teach various technology and computer programming courses at the High School level and I thought this would be a good instructional aid in teaching students about the start of the personal computer industry. To further assist the teacher, Ambrose Video provides a good lesson plan outline (on their website) on how to approach the three parts contained within the DVD.
  
  Overall, most students found the material presented in this video relevant and interesting. The only thing I would be cautious with is a scene in Volume 1, the "HOT TUB" scene. The majority of students were disturbed with it and I wouldn't have minded it if this was one of the scenes Ambrose chose to delete.
  
  
• Tells the whole Microsoft story to Windows 95 - objectively
  By on 1998-11-21
  If you can, get all the tapes. (There are other volumes) This is the whole story from Gates starting out - up to the release of Windows 95, and see what really went on!! Gripping - even for a non technology type. There's a TV movie in the works - but it can't compare to the detail this series takes.
  
  
• A must see for anyone that uses computers
  By on 1998-12-16
  Objective, authoriative and enlightening. What a story. A history of the personal computer industry that explains the humble beginings of such computing greats as Microsoft, Oracle, Apple, Gates, Ellison, Jobs and Wozniac. A great show to watch with the children. Educational, entertaining and just plain fun.
  
  
• The Most Important Story of our time
  By on 1998-12-23
  This Documetary is the most important story of our lifetimes...or any time. Anyone in the industry must see this to understand the rise of the computer industry.
  
  
• Awesome Comptuer History from PBS
  By on 1998-11-24
  This is very interesting computer history lesson from a PBS documentary. Hear the famous Gary Killdell went flying when IBM came story as well as how Steve Jobs got successfull and then lost it.
  
  

• Pirates of Silicon Valley
• Hackers - Wizards of the Electronic Age
• Modern Marvels - The Creation of the Computer (History Channel)
• Modern Marvels - Computers (History Channel)
• Revolution OS