The Computer Chronicles - IBM Clones (1985)

Why don’t we have shows with formats like this anymore - I mean like the interview style, the guests actually fully answers the questions eloquently and directly without being interrupted. They also explain it so well that most people can understand what they’re saying.

I could just watch these for days

Loved this show as a kid. I had no idea until this week what a giant of the industry Gary Kildall was. Look him up...

Jesus, I didn't realize that I needed this refresh after decades of slogging though the modern media landscape. It's like watching the AgReport - but for computers. Thank you for preserving these.

Thanks to Award, Phoenix and AMI for really making the IBM BIOS available to everyone back in the day

This is the first time I've ever seen Gary Kildall! Wow, what fantastic history of the early days of personal computing!

I learned to use the PC in the Air Force. I was a pipe fitter who knew how to type. They asked me to help out with some administrative tasks in my squadron. There I was given a Zenith IBM XT compatible machine. I learned Lotus 123 and Peach Text and Peach Base. When I got out of the Air Force I learned to build my own PC. I bought a part a week till I had enough to put it all together. Now I'm a Systems Engineer, doing everything from Network, SAN, NAS, Backups, PC's, Unix Systems, Linux, Windows. Thank you US Air Force for teaching me something useful....

"I don't own an IBM-PC compatible, and I don't think I ever will..." that did NOT age well

It is amazing now how the whole concept of IBM compatibles was once a risky purchase idea. Years later, people had PCs with not one part from IBM. This is how the PC became so successful.

Looking back at this makes you appreciate just how far we've come in regards to the ease of building your own PC.

7:29 : Wow.... that's some hindsight right there ;D. And it didn't take many years after this point for IBM to be on the run. Things change fast in the computer industry.

16:10 The way he turns off the computer is brutal, almost like "let's shut down this crap"

Who the hell dislikes this video? I've been thoroughly enjoying all of these. It's a unique window into the past. It's so much fun to see where they were, and especially where they thought they'd be in the next several years, etc. Some of their opinions were spot on; some of them as so wrong it's kind of funny to watch this knowing how things really turned out. We had a Commodore 128 at this time. I think we got our first "PC Compatible" (486) in around 91. It was such an amazing machine at the time. We were so impressed.

My father gave me an IBM clone computer in 1993 when he bought a new one for his business. The one he gave me was about a year old and in good condition. Very sturdy and well made for a clone. It had 4 MB of RAM and a processing speed of 18 megahertz with a turbo boost. The only complimentary software it had was DOS 5.0. A week later my dad mailed a box full of software. DOS 6.0. Windows 3.1. Word Perfect. Lotus 1-2-3. I used it for 4 years and then bought another IBM clone that was nowhere near as good.

Love those old Tandy and Compaq machines! People often underestimate their significance in the development of the PC industry. The Compaq Portable is a real icon and a game changer for the personal computer industry and was the instrumental machine to spark the development of open industry standards. Those early Compaqs with the old logo just have something magic about them. Can't really put my finger on it but I guess it's just plain nostalgia for a company that's no longer with us (not really anyway) ;-) I completely rebuilt a 1988 (20.000 USD 1988 MSRP!) Compaq Deskpro 386 recently. Must be the only one here in the Netherlands. It took a lot of time and effort but it was definitely worth it. Such a wonderful machine! Big, heavy beast! Today my Compaq Portable (1) will be delivered. It was cheap and is completely broken but in excellent (optical) condition. Gonna have a blast reparing this baby 😀👍

Haven't seen "B:\" in over 15 years!

Why don't we have cool TV shows like this today??

In Robert Cringely's "Triumph Of The Nerds" he interviewed father-of-the-PC IBM's Bill Lowe (RIP) who said "non-IBM parts, non-IBM service" and he did more for affordable computing than Jobs or other imposters ever did.

"IBM's not in any danger" Ah, with hindsight, that is soooo funny. IBM got their ass pounded in the compatible market so hard, they quit!

This was such an informative and educational show when I watched it. My EE instructors were so totally ignorant on PCs, their business development and significance. This show put so much together for the viewer to understand. It taught you how to talk about computers.