James Burke : Connections, Episode 5, "Wheel Of Fortune", 1 of 5 (CC)

[er10b]

My favourite of these was the previous episode with a Hollerith tabulator.

I'd seen many drawings and pictures, even detailed explanations on the Internet but never a live demo by James Burke.

Thanks for the upload!

[cmonconan]

That was'nt a computer!! that was a monster!! lol

[lcvamp242]

When James Burke created the universe, do you think he also baked an apple pie from scratch?

[flitandersen]

One of the most fascinating series ever aired. Newton Minnow never would have gotten away with calling television a "great wasteland" if he'd seen this show.

Thank you, Mr. Burke!

[LaszloPanaflex]

"It tends to send you bills." Ain't it the truth.

[MrGarrahan]

Astronomy freak lol...

[neocoders]

Hey very fast adding machines can be sexy

[clarson0420]

Just wanted to thank Mr. Burke and JBW for providing these videos. As a youth of maybe 5 years, I would watch Connections and Connections^2 and I credit them both with getting me interested in history and science. The fact that programs like these are no longer produced saddens me.

[philhh65]

@clarson0420 "How Things are Made" is a good show on how modern things are put together. The narration is not as good. I would not be surprised if the makers did not get the idea from this series.

[adrastea99]

You forgot to say that Arabs used European methods and inventions to do this...

[ryoushii]

What is amazing is he is telling people about that incredible permanent record, the internet. Everything everybody has posted here will keep floating around a vast array of computers, for as long as they are maintained.

[YAHWEHisperfect]

a great moment the history of man, since the fall of adam, was when israel was in the wilderness....Yahweh gave them the Way to walk in..He fed them...

[dooberry20]

lol 4:20 astronomy freak

[drav1dan]

0:55 - "...in most people's everyday lives, the computer isn't much more than a fast adding machine..." - priceless! How much things changed from the 1970s, when this episode was filmed, to the 1990s!

[TheLastBrainLeft]

Burke's predictions for the future in 1978 are scary accurate.

[MrBunnerabb]

@TheLastBrainLeft

History.

Learn to use it and you can do a lot of useful stuff and not fall on your ass in the process.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

Yup. Only adds weight to the main point of the show.

If the series weren't packed with trivial anachronisms then it would, almost by definition, "be obsolete".

It isn't ;)

- JBW

[bassgrassorass]

"but it is very much more than that"

[drav1dan]

My post was about how people regarded computers in the 1970s vs 1990s, not about what insights James Burke had. The point is, back in the 1970s computers were regarded by most people as just adding machines which sent bills. By the mid 1990s, most people had developed a much different view and computers had started playing a much greater role in people's lives.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

You know I would replace "much greater role" with "much more visible role".

The fact is, back in the 1970s we were just as reliant on computers as we are today, but we (generally) had no clue about it.

Nowadays computers play a very visible role in our lives and some people may draw the conclusion that we are dependent on them.

But I think if you asked the average person they'd probably say they could "get by" without computers. So we're just as ignorant now as then.

- JBW

[drav1dan]

@JamesBurkeWeb: What you said is not correct. We are much more dependent on computers now than we were in the 1970s. Back in the 1970s there were no computers in every home & low level government offices like drivers' license offices. Payroll in most medium & small organization was still manual. Small stores did not use computers for accounts. The awareness of people has also changed. Most people know about & use computers, even in 3rd world countries. They know how vital computers now are.

[DebbieinNH]

@drav1dan  I LOL'd

[DanielDouradoF]

@drav1dan Even today, computer is nothing more than a fast adding machine... You can do wonders just by adding.

[x002009]

Slightly off-topic: When the planetarium is first introduced, I would like to know the title of the background music that was played.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

I think that is answered in these comments somewhere no? Hmm, no.

Someone suggested Strauss.

[HolyGhostCappella]

@JamesBurkeWeb -- Richard Strauss: Rosenkavalier Waltzes

[CrazyHorseInvincible]

I am now telling the computer EXACTLY what it can do with a lifetime supply of chocolate!

[fascistamericadotnet]

why is he always so dreadfully lit?

[ing420021]

hm... in 1:40-1:45 he says that computers could predict human behavior... interesting that: just today (29.09.2009) i was watching the daily show and in an interview Bruce Bueno de Mesquita says that his fancy new computer model can predict human behavior with a 90% accuracy... chalk up another prediction that James Burke got right...

[JamesBurkeWeb]

I think the exact wording was that computers: "contain the future within them". And then

...I cheat and look at the captions file ;)...

"If you tell a computer everything about a group of people, it will juggle the mix and come up with the one factor that is most likely to affect the decision that group will make about something one way or the other."

So, not exactly predicting human behaviour, but predicting average human response to specific factors. That much *is* true today.

- JBW

[klaptongroovemaster]

ROFL.  Love the quasi-rip-off of 2001 A Space Odyssey. Was that also Strauss?

[JamesBurkeWeb]

Hehe... could be. Of course what other music would you use there? I think it's perfect ;)

[rnbwpnt]

I am *WILDLY* happy these things are here, and as I can afford them I'll be getting the DVDs for my kids. I watched these shows (except episode 5, which my parents missed recording on VHS) literally hundreds of times when in my early teens. I can still recite large portions and I've been looking for them again on and off for *YEARS*.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

That's great news! I like to hear that... not only will you get premium quality versions of these but you're indirectly supporting global education. If you find a space for "how did I find out about these DVDs" don't forget to mention this channel because that's all I / we have to support this channel. If it's helping Ambrose, it's helping this channel stay alive for the whole world to enjoy and learn from.

Thanks again,

- JBW

[Rhubba]

I've found out that not only is this all uploaded on YouTube (Thank you JBW), but also Carl Sagan's Cosmos and Kenneth Clark's Civilisation: The three greatest documentaries of all time and all here for a new generation to watch and enjoy.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

I must concur. Although I haven't seen the last one, but certainly Connections and Cosmos are way up there in terms of best documentaries of all time.

And now even purchasable too (at least Connections and TDTUC are) at *reasonable* prices (ie. less than $800 or so ;))

- JBW

[diddymuck]

Prof Burke...my hero! Any reason you couldn't have been my college teacher??? I might have actually learned something!

[JamesBurkeWeb]

Really eh... I mean, yes I agree. I wish all my teachers could've been so engaging.

- JBW

[donnatribble]

Wonderful! I have loved this series ever since it first appeared on Public Television. I am so delighted to find it on YouTube! Thank you, thank you!

[JamesBurkeWeb]

You're very welcome. Enjoy the shows!

- JBW