Computer Chronicles

- Season 7

(1989)

In the late 1980's PC users were ecstatic over the introduction of 32 bit processors and CPUs running at the blazing speed of 33 megahertz. This program looks at some of those performance innovations.

With standalone PC's showing up in every office and in many homes, the big challenge became connecting computers in a local area network. This program looks at several low cost solutions to building a LAN.

As we entered the 1990's, the big technology news was the move from magnetic storage to optical storage. It was the year of multimedia and the CD-ROM.

When laser printers first came out in the 1980's they were prohibitively expensive for most individual users. In the early 1990's, prices came down and even small businesses were able to upgrade from their old dot matrix printers.

A look at the state of the art in programming languages and tools circa 1990.

One of the precursors of hypertext and hyperlinks was Hypercard, originally introduced by Apple in 1987.

A review of flight simulator software, including Falcon AT 1.11, F-15 Strike Eagle II, Jet Fighter 1.5, A-10 Tank Killer 1.2, subLOGIC's Flight Simulator ATP 1.0, and Microsoft's Flight Simulator 4.0.

The experience of students and faculty at Clarkson and Drexel is changing as personal computers became an essential "school supply".

Part one of a look at the high-tech industry in France, shot on location in Paris.

The second part of our review of French technology, shot on location in France. Included are ISDN, fiber optics, smart cards, the 185 mph TGV high-speed train, and a look inside the workings of the supersonic Concorde.