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Triumph of the Nerds

Bob Cringely (Actor), Steve Jobs (Actor), Paul Sen (Director) Rated:
Unrated
Format: DVD
4.7 out of 5 stars 107 customer reviews
Additional DVD options Edition Discs
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(Jul 22, 2002)
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Special Features

None.

Product Details

  • Actors: Bob Cringely, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Bill Gates
  • Directors: Paul Sen
  • Format: Multiple Formats, NTSC, Subtitled
  • Subtitles: English
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated:
    Unrated
    Not Rated
  • Studio: Ambrose Video
  • DVD Release Date: July 22, 2002
  • Run Time: 165 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (107 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00006FXQO
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,751 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

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  • Learn more about "Triumph of the Nerds" on IMDb

Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 starsStill a great show, but the Ambrose edition is not complete!
By S. Breazeal on October 28, 2004
Format: DVD Verified Purchase
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.
6 Comments 129 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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5.0 out of 5 starsSociopaths, egomaniacs, hippies and nerds.
By Joe Ekaitis: Gray Haired Geek on September 19, 2000
Format: VHS Tape
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.
2 Comments 45 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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5.0 out of 5 starsWonderfully entertaining documentary for the non-techies
By John S Harris on April 9, 2001
Format: VHS Tape Verified Purchase
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."
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4.0 out of 5 starsThe ultimate history of the personal computer era.
By A Customer on September 18, 2000
Format: VHS Tape
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.
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4.0 out of 5 starsInteresting and informative documentary for all history buffs
By K. Du Pont on March 25, 2007
Format: DVD
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.
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4.0 out of 5 starsTechnology Teacher's Perspective
By Razz N Jazz on August 27, 2008
Format: DVD
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.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

You want to know how we arrived here in the computer world - its a must watch!

Published 3 months ago by Emilio J. Matt
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

A 'must See's.

Published 3 months ago by Russell M.
5.0 out of 5 starsUnderstanding 2 of the most successful tech moguls in the ...

Understanding 2 of the most successful tech moguls in the world you understand that they are driven by a passion to innovate.

Published 7 months ago by Victor
5.0 out of 5 starsOutstanding in all respects. HBO's "Silicon Valley" could have ...

Outstanding in all respects. HBO's "Silicon Valley" could have been developed by a fan of Cringely. Read more

Published 8 months ago by Rick Jonz
5.0 out of 5 starsVery happy with the quality.

Replaced three twenty year old VHS tapes. Great stories of the early days of PCs I didn't want to lose. This DVD is much better quality than the old tapes.

Published 8 months ago by Donald V. Rogers
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

A classic in the annuals of early micro computer history.

Published 13 months ago by Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 starsNot for educational use

I was looking to get a history on computers for my middle school class. I looked and came upon this. Read more

Published 14 months ago by Nobody
5.0 out of 5 starswow

Very interesting for computer enthusiasts.

Published 15 months ago by Xavier
5.0 out of 5 starsEarly years of the personal computer

I was around back in the 70s and 80s and watched this new personal computer boom kick off. It may not be too interesting to the younger generation. Read more

Published 18 months ago by TB in Orlando
5.0 out of 5 starsA different perspective on Steve Jobs

I'm in it. What can I say?

Published 18 months ago by Milo Wadlin

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