Episode 1: Getting Started
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- Опубликовано: 3 май 2012
- (A higher quality version of this video is available at • Episode 1: Getting Sta... )
Welcome to Bits and Bytes, a television program about computers, or rather about microcomputers - the small, personal ones that are selling like hot cakes nowadays.
Bits and Bytes was a Canadian television series, produced by TVOntario in 1983. It starred Luba Goy as the instructor, and Billy Van as the student. The show consisted of 12 episodes and featured many of the classic 80s microcomputers including the Apple ][, Commodore PET, VIC 20 and 64, Atari 800, TRS-80, TI 99 and the IBM PC. The subjects were:
Program 1: Getting Started
Program 2: Ready-Made Programs
Program 3: How Programs Work?
Program 4: File & Data Management
Program 5: Communication Between Computers
Program 6: Computer Languages
Program 7: Computer-Assisted Instruction
Program 8: Games & Simulations
Program 9: Computer Graphics
Program 10: Computer Music
Program 11: Computers at Work
Program 12: What Next?
For more information, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bits_and.... Also note that this series is no longer available for sale, and has been made available here for posterity.
![MAF Teeski - Whole Thing (feat. VonOff1700) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SHWEj-ndz6g/mqdefault.jpg)
There is something so very charming about old media like this. And it makes me nostalgic for a time I wasn't even alive for.
All past era's had their own charms (and issues). Much of the charm was from living in a national bubble. The Internet changed things -- the world's problems became your nation's problems. We have not been the same since, especially since the terror attacks on the Twin Towers.
@@electronwave4551 that is exactly right. I love the internet I can't deny, but I am not keen on how digital our days are now. I yearn for the simpler days...
I shouldn't be saying this as someone going into the computing field haha. Technology is cool, I just don't really know if we're using it in the best way we should.
@@examswillkillmeoneday1265 I might give this advice -- always be on the lookout for when computers cease to serve you, and instead, you unknowingly begin to serve them. Best of luck in your career.
I remember watching Bits And Bytes in 1986 when I was 13. I learned more from Bits and Bytes than I did from my actual school computer classes.
Hi Jonny. Yes, me too (both when I first saw it in early primary school and later in high school). And a big reason for sharing this on RUclips is that I think this is still one of the best short(ish) and general introductions to the fundamental concepts of computing out there, even though it's over 30 years old now.
Bits and Bytes TVO the foundation is still sound
Same here. We watched these on VHS tape in Australia in high school in '87 and '88. Seeing the episodes on here is a real blast from the past.
I was 20 or 21. It was just on in the background. I had no interest in computers then. I was into music lol.
I was 12 in ..1986.
R.I.P Billy Van 1934-2003
33 K?! Playing programs from cassettes? WOW! I completely missed that era of computing. I find it quite interesting.
I used a TI 99 4A with a cassette recorder(it's own brand). It was inexpensive.
*I used to watch this back in 1983 when it was first-run. I can hear those keyboard clicks in my sweetest dreams.*
Me too. That theme music just instantly took me back.
"...64K. This may sound like a lot. But it isn't." Now, THAT'S an understatement! (Ha, ha -- yes, I do remember those days ... AND this show.)
SO glad to see it on RUclips. Thanks!
I never wrote a program on the C64 that used all or most of the 64K. But I am working on it.
At 82 I look back to all of the computer classes I taught. I had high school students, teachers, adults and professional photographers. I explored serious computer programs. Bits and Bytes brings back the basics I learned and placed in the memory files. This is a delightful and relaxing memory trip. Thank You.
The sweaty HP nerd nervously explaining floppy disks gives me the weirdest asmr
A friend of mine gave me his old PET in 1983. Great computer for the time.
I couldn't wait each week to watch Bits and Bytes. Even at 7, I was a geek. My dads friend talked my dad into buying us our first computer, a C=64. We started off with the C=64 itself connected to a black and white TV with the cassette player. Then he got us a 1541 5.24 floppy drive, then a color monitor followed by a printer and VIC modem. The whole setup back then with everything was over $1300. First computer I started to code on. Still have the setup and teaching my son how to use it.
Glad you enjoyed your fix of nostalgia, and I'm glad I could help - after watching a few episodes off my server earlier this year, I went to see if they were available online and I couldn't find any complete (or full-length) collections of episodes /and/ it seems that several people have asked TVO without luck, so I thought I'd share. Enjoy the other episodes! Pete
Glad you enjoyed your fix of nosalgrs
Watching a few apiosiood off my senver
Used to watch Bits and Bytes in school, followed by typing class and Number Munchers haha. Always looked forward to computer class every week.
I remember this program when I was a kid. LOL, even at the age of 8 I was a computer geek. My first computer was a Commodore VIC-20. It was a pity that they didn't use one during the course of the series, but did mention it once or twice. Though I can understand why, it was a pretty wimpy computer for the time.
I am not that old or even American but I feel nostalgic, I don't know why but it seems very good and reminiscent of old times
"Although of course a computer can do a lot more with its characters than a book can.....but that's another story." Even the quotes are so meaningful.
"64. This may sound like a lot, but it isn't." HEEHEEHEEHEEHEE. I remember these days though, my first computer was a VIC 20, and I wasn't one of those fancy kids with the floppy drive. I was rocking the same Commodore cassette deck Billy Van is rocking with Luba here. -Cory Carlick
I watched this tv show when I was 7 years old in Brazil. I did not have a computer but this program fascinated me. Today I am a software engineer/program manager in California and this program open the horizon to me.
A good refresher of my early days 1983!
RIP Billy Van.
Wow, just found this. Quite a flashback. I remembered when they showed this on our PBS station. Obviously old but still very informative. Too bad I read Billy Van passed away 15 years ago. What would've been neat is if they were able to bring back the show (Bits & Bytes: RELOADED!) and they would talk about the more modern stuff like laptops, wifi, smart phones, the internet, social media, etc.
loved this show. it kicked off my career in computers. first computer was a Timex Sinclair xt 1000 which I still have !
I grew up with these computers and find that this series is not only a great sentimental journey, it helps to refresh the old information in my aging brain. After decades of progress, it's fun to get out the old computers again and type in some code. Thanks to this series on RUclips, I can have more fun with my old IBM pc, Commodores, Apple ][ and TRS-80.
Really great
Poetic TV Show. Strong happy felling was restored
HOLY. HELL! Thank you so much for uploading these, I've been wanting to watch this series for years, even wrote to TVO a couple of times trying to buy the series. The second time they actually got back to me to tell me they don't have it available for purchase anymore. I watched this series back when it was relevant, and have been requiring a major nostalgia fix for a very long time.
Wow, this is how I became a geek. I was watching this as a child. 😂
It is a great video, and it does still explain the basics. I'll be showing parts of the animation starting at 7:00 to my computer class today :)
+Rick Henderson Indeed it does, and awesome, that's great to hear! For your information, though, all of the animations are also available as standalone clips - see ruclips.net/p/PLC4820150EF5C2DC7 for the full list.
Rick Henderson I purely watch this mostly for the 80s nostalgia factor TBH
wow... deja vu! it's like taking me back to my first college class on computer BASIC
OMG, can't believe it, this was the FIRST computer tutorial I ever watched. I always wanted to go to the computer shop Billy Van was learning in. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.
OMG, I can't believe it, I'm watching now like I was kid and jumping on my Dad chair
I just watched this episode of the bits and bytes and it was amazing for it's time! TV Ontario did a great job! I will watch some more!
My favourite show. Huge thanks to someone who share it. Feel awsome great now to watch thiz.
Re p0rter You're most welcome, and we're glad we could relive the series.
I was sold at "These new microcomputers that seem to be selling like hotcakes" 😂
I love this stuff! It's easier to understand how some things work since it all started back then and computers weren't so complex and hard to understand as nowadays.
Love that you posted these, they are certainly opening my mind to what programs and computers were in the past. I suppose by seeing the past, I have a better understanding of the present.
Indeed, and thanks for your comments; I'm glad you're enjoying the series.
Man, thanks for sharing this video ! I remember watching bits and bytes as a kid - but the translated version as I live in Brazil haha - It was an awesome show ! Good old times
Well, I'm glad you happened across these series, then, and I hope you have many hours of fun, both here and playing with your classic computers.
With every word Luba says, I'm on edge for the punch line.
Oh my, this takes me back!
watching in 2022 :) still exciting..
I'm glad you enjoyed them, and I'm even happier that you found them educational too. Just goes to show that fundamentals and concepts can maintain their relevance far longer than specific examples of technology.
Love this show.
I love the soundtrack of this program
This takes me back. Where does the time go :-)
You're most welcome. I'm under the impression that TVO don't have the complete series in their archives anymore (or, at the very least, that they haven't digitised it yet) - indeed, their official archive page only shows four of the original 12 episodes.
I remember when the Tandy and Amiga were mind blowing. Even remember the commercial:
"...you're getting a Tandy, Andy".
The switch is on the back, so you don't accidentally turn it off! Ha!!!
Thanks for this super old computer program :)
This is a good series for beginners. I learned more about computer basics from this show than I did from attending Computer Learning Center in 1992. What a waste of money that was! I took out a student loan thinking I was going to learn about computers, inside and out. All they taught was software programs that became obsolete within a few years. DOS 5.0, Word Perfect and Lotus 1-2-3. They didn't even have Microsoft Windows or color monitors. They charged us $60 a piece for worthless text books.
Thanks for everyone takes part in videos like that..
Some IT admins should have to watch this so they can get the basics, pun intended.
BASIC was the first computer language I learned on TI 99 4A, IBM 360 and Tandy (Radio Shack) 1000 RLX
I loved this show. Nice Trash80 model 3 in the background
I was too 13 in 1986, it showed on TV Cultura on Brazil, the time stopped when i start watching...!
I was 16...and I had a sinclair zx-81 16K of RAM, everything sucks , just GOLD at that time....
“The switch is at the back..” (said with the best tone Basiclly telling billy he isn’t too smart)
I want to give a very sincere "thank you" to Bits and Bytes, TVO and everyone involved in producing the series. Watching these videos as a kid helped me build a foundation for visualizing and understanding computing concepts. I remember these with great fondness. And now, as it turns out, I have had a very successful career in software and computer graphics technology for over 30 years!
This was a huge show for me too enjoyed that Billy Van and Luba Goy worked well together.I was 14 in 83 when this show started and i ask my mom and dad for a commodore 64 for mu birthday in May but i wound up getting it for christmas which was even better because they wanted to get me a complete system i got the c64 a 1702 monitor and a 1541 disk drive as a kid it was the best christmas ever then the following year when i went to high school the computer room had a few of them and some apple and trs 80's and the pet computers then in 84 for my birthday i got another 1541 disk drive so i could copy other disks and a vicmodem and a printer id say from 83 to 88 was the most fun time i had id spent hours on it playing games doing homework learning programming and on weekends was better id be up all night and it would be 3 in the morning and then after breakfast id be at it again probably the most fun of my teenage life unti i started dating then it it slowed down but it was there when i needed it from the beginning of my teenage years till the end of it the best compiter of all time hands down.
Decades later and the iMac switch is on the back too!
Wonderful
THose 8" floppy disk I think is what I saw still being used in Americas ICBMs. Wow.
Any other programmers watching this in 2018?
Fred Napoli was the voice during the cartoon segments Amazing voice
“Here are some scenes” yes computers just physically run into buildings in need
Thanks, and you're more than welcome (I'll also try to upload some higher-quality versions before too long). And while nostalgia was definitely /one/ of the reasons for creating this channel, I also think that this series does an excellent job of explaining of the key computing concepts -many of which are still relevant today.
I learned some things aboot microcomputers from this video.
Thank God I'm 23 and appreciate old computers. I own a fully Functional Commodore 128, complete with a 1571 disk drive and tape drive, both which also work to full capacity! And I got a Timex-Sinclair 1000 with the original box, components, and manual with the original 16k pack. I would record new masters of software I downloaded online using special software and record them directly from my laptop headjack to my 2001 Sony Tapecorser mic-input for full clarity (using the aforementioned ZX81 jack). A successful load every time on both computers!
2024 Update: 27 years old and both computers still work excellently. :)
Our teacher made us watch this during our grade 10 computer course in 1986! G’zuzs
Although kids don't like to learn this is a good tv show.
The first Lets play ever.
Loved this show. Grew up watching and loving it. Usually on my Antennae TV on UHF 38 if I recall. :)
Awwww, you cut the video off before the ending music was done. :(
The top and bottom has been cropped off as well
I had a major crush on Luba Goy.
I've owned 1 of the computrs on this show, a TI-99/4A
Прикольно я понимаю что они говорят но пока пишу не правильно на английском . Эти видео такие спокойные и информативные.
Its Cool video,i am understand what happened on video but not good write on English language. This video very informated.
Going to watch all of these!
I don't even mind these 2. Did she say her name was "Goy?!"
Was to busy laughing at our past.
I had a sinclair and an IBM XT if you can believe it.
Yes, her name is Luba Goy, I had an apple clone. was many years later that I was able to get a 486 DX266 and the world changed.
tell me you didn't try to pin clock speed?? lmao
I am watching this in 2020...corona virus pandemic..
Watching in 2024 lol
I finally learned all aboot computers
>It starred Luba Goy as the instructor, and Billy Van as the student.
Yes, I guess it wouldn't be the other way around... :)
The second installment (1991):
👴🏼Billy Van = instructor
👩🏻Victoria Stokle = student
I was 13 years old when this came out.
I remember that time, my first contact was TK85 using Z80 processor.
I swear we forget how good we have it the way we talk to our devices these days. Can you imagine the filth that would come out of our mouth's if we had to deal with the computers in this video?
Royal Canadian Air Farce was pretty bad but it is good she redeemed herself prior to RCAF by creating some good educational content on Bits and Bytes.
Fuckin' hell these computers are relics im surprised there are no cobwebs or dust gatheting inside.
computers didn't seem to be that widespread in places in 1983, at least not small ones. They certainly are now
I still have this show on Beta video tape. I still have my Coco too.
I'm just hoping the RCMP forgets about my Commodore 64 pirate BBS I had running in the 80's. For those that remember "Load ,8,1". Lol
These are really funny to watch nowadays.
Sure there are some things that have not changed, but the parts that have changed are easy to laugh about from a modern users pewrspective
I used to watch these programs with awe back in the 80's - such a cutting edge technology. Now, I watch them again just to laugh - for a comedic value.
"How do I get back to the beginning?"
“The easiest way is to just switch the computer off then on but-“ 9:29
in 8th grade i got to see a cassette load in a program
This intro song has a Krafterwerk synth.
The next generation Computers will surly be able to update themselves. With the golden age of Networking dawning in front of our eyes ansd the whole history of computing not older than 70years. An almighty system can be built by the Big 2 ( Microsoft & Apple) to feed theirs consumers devices with smooth updates that are bug free because this time the parent supercomputers will analyse and fix all future needs. Eg. if a user ask the a query about a useful new features within the app in question? then that request will be assessed by a qualified Human and upon approval the app will be modified by the parent supercomputers within seconds and updates will be facilitated without interruption of the end users devices. This may sound a big ask but with supercomputers getting bigger and faster. And the networks are getting insanely fault free and reliable. Cloud systems ever expanding our devices memories and processing power, Mankind have reached the unthinkable and the 'minds eye' have finally been demonstrated to the fullest. And this is just the beginning. To infinity and Beyond.
I'm a first year Networking student in London . Originally from West Africa 🌍 Gambia, My aim is to bring the Internet to my country to the poor and by doing this i want to build my very own servers and hook them to the telephone lines and stream in data to the poor for free of charge. By the means of Sneakernet, I want to transport the useful stuff via a weekly exportation of data out of the Internet to my server to serve the poor, Schools and Hospitals. And if businesses want to reach the poor, then they will pay 25% of their profits to Us the poor and all that will feed the ever growing expansion of the network, connectivity, electricity. An by saying electricity, I want full solar system to run the server and upon surplus of electricity from the solar systems, all homes within the range of the surplus capacity will get free electricity over Ethernet and hence free connectivity. Data-link is achieved by connectivity over electricity. The secret of network is the transporter link that expansion the end-users devices memories, the print screen for visualisation and audiovisualisation and the all important real-time connectivity of systems on the Layer2 with the aid of individual MAC address of all gizmos that there of are all very simple to maintain. Services provider are sitting on gold pots but my aim is to implement a fully functional virtual environment platforms in The Gambia and dedicate it to the Schools and Hospitals and thousands of homes ALL-FOR-FREEEE!!
COMMENTS PLEASE.
I want some useful advises on the RAID DRIVE I will be needing to hook on the servers that will be distributing Apps and multimedia superfast to atleast 30,000 users within a metropolitan area. future expansion to another metropolitan area will mainly need servers closer to them, then hook those servers to the RAID on HQ via superfast reserved lines. Mirroring need not to replicate data in each zone but to build a single database system then reinforced it with RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks) to achieve a fault free platform then servers from all Metropolitan areas will have direct and superfast fiberoptics hooking everyone to a single source all at once. Still putting in mind that single source is extremely dangerous. but also remember all these is going to be free of charge! 🎉 🎉 🌋 🌋 🌋 🌋 🌋 🌋 🌋
I really wish I had an Apple II
Wonder how much this setup cost when it was brand new. $2,000?
That's the same style of Datasette my VIC-20 uses to load...
does the material era retain the essence of computers?
Now I see why steve jobs made so much money. 😅
That’s a Data-sette
I'm curious if we can contribute with some subtitles. I would help with Brazilian Portuguese
Hello Fábio, thanks for asking such a pleasantly surprising question. Sure, if you'd like to do that, we'd love to incorporate them. Perhaps we can start with one episode (to make sure everything works as it should) and go from there?
Is that Leslie Nielsen doing the voice over?
wow it loads fast for an old one lol.
That nerd at HP is horrifying to listen to. I had nightmares last night.
Is that the girl from Great Canadian Air Farce?