The series consists of three episodes, chronicling the birth and growth of silicon valleys personal computer industry. Cringely is the pen name of both technology journalist mark stephens and a string of writers for a column in infoworld, the onetime weekly computer trade newspaper published by idg. So, was the real mark stephens employee number 12 at apple, and did he help move things out of. Well, in the book nerds national, espionage, rescue, and defense society by michael buckley it answers that question. Cringely and produced by oregon public broadcasting for pbs.
Currently he can be seen in the public television series triumph of the nerds, based on this book. And therefore a computer nerd is somebody who uses a computer in order to use a. Cringelys notes from the field column appeared weekly in info world. Ambrose video publishing shoppbs an irreverent, witty and energetic history of the personal computer industry and its creators, based on the bestselling book, accidental empires, by bob cringely. Stanford says cringely never completed doctorate sfgate. This threepart sequel to the wellreceived triumph of the nerds, recaptures the same trendy style so effectively used by robert cringely. In that same column bob said so in a few weeks you can expect to see.
It was 10 years since jobs had left apple following a bruising struggle with john sculley, the ceo he had brought into the company. A brief history of the internet, which premieres november 25, jobs again spoils for trouble, saying the web is exciting chiefly because. A brief history of the internet 1998 is a threehour documentary film written and hosted by mark stephens under the pseudonym robert x. Cringely was born on january 28, 1953 in apple creek, ohio, usa as mark channing stephens. Stephens has also appeared as cringely in two documentaries based on his writings. Three part documentary that shows the insight look at the history of computers, from its rise in the 1970s to the beginning of the dotcom boom of the late 1990s. Kore yes, this book is a great book for younger and older kids to read and might increase their word usage when presenting or speaking aloud to you ormore yes, this book is a great book for younger and older kids to read and might increase their word usage when presenting or speaking aloud to you or their classmates. Computer industry gossip columnist and program host bob cringely answers questions submitted by viewers in his own inimitable style. On page 24 of accidental empires, his bestselling 1992 book about the birth of the pc business, robert x. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. However, bob cringely, who conducted that interview. Triumph of the nerds has been published on cyberwar it happened more or less by accident.
From his own silicon valley garage, author bob cringely puts pc bigshots and nerds on the spot, and tells their incredible true stories. 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 mid70s on through the. For computer companies, the cost of growth is usually innocence. Cringely mark stephens and based on his 1992 book accidental empires. Biography and booking information for bob cringely, robert x. When miss information kidnaps the presidents daughter, it is up to twelveyearold ruby, also known as pufferfish, to use. Allen, bill atkinson, steve ballmer, dan bricklin, david bunnell. I have not read your book, do not remember if i have seen the nerds. As in the movie business, gossip about whos hot and whos not in the computer business has a significant effect on moneyraising and product success. Robert cringely has worked in and around the pc business for more than 30 years.
Fortyone years ago this summer i was a young investigator working in harrisburg, pennsylvania and washington, dc for the presidents commission on the accident at three mile island, a big federal investigation chaired by dartmouth professor john kemeny, who is best known as the father of the basic programming language. This is the seminal work by long time technology reporter robert cringely. The cursor on the computer screen pulsates like a racing heartbeat as robert x. At that point in time it had been roughly 10 years since jobs had been forced out of apple, and he was already hard at work at his new computer.
What steve jobs revealed in a lost interview cbs news. Triumph of the nerds was written and hosted by robert x. A few days ago i tweeted something and a reader reacted, saying about cringely, i thought he was dead. Triumph of the nerds an irreverent history of the pc industry vhs 3tape box set, still factory sealed.
Wonderful superb oscar performance i am going to read your book now. Bob cringely in his book and tv show, the triumph of the nerds, told how gates and the microsoft gang would go clubbing but get ignored by women thanks to their nerdy looks and misfit behaviour. A nineminute portion of the 69minute interview with the late apple cofounder was aired on a tv series called triumph of the nerds in 1995. How does a 67yearold hack with three minor children recover from going blind, losing his. My book accidental empires, which was the basis of my pbs series triumph of the nerds, was optioned for a feature film by lionsgate films, a script was written. A brief history of the internet 1998 and in a threepart documentary on pbs called plane crazy, in which he attempted to build an aircraft in 30 days and fly it when completed. More colors book nerd vinyl decal writer author reader wall, office, computer, laptop various colors. Wonder how many of those fusspots are struggling with their finances now. I interviewed steve a number of times over the years, this was the only television interview i did with him. It turns out that stephens, who as cringely hosted the 1996 pbs hit documentary triumph of the nerds, inflated his resume. Bob cringely the pen name of journalist mark stephenswrote notes from the field for infoworld from 1987 to 1995, and his industrial gossip column as he called it gave him a unique perspective on a host of companies that rose and fell and, sometimes, rose again during that pivotal era. He is a writer, known for the triumph of the nerds. Michael buckley is very good at making the book funny and exciting which makes the book more interesting.
The rise of accidental empires is a pbs documentary series hosted by bob cringely, telling a history of personal computers from its beginning in the 1970s to the release of windows 95 in the mid 1990s. Bob cringely speakers bureau and booking agent info. Read one book by an author and then immediately bought everything else theyve ever written felt happy or sad depending on your favourite characters emotional state check. Cringely wrote the notes from the field column in infoworld, a weekly computer trade newspaper. Released by ambrose video publishing, new york, ny. It is the definitive history of the personal computer era from the mid. As cringely, stephens had claimed that he was a former stanford. Cringely s name is on every enemys list in silicon valley, where for eight years he was the gossip columnist for infoworld, a trade paper read each week by more. In 1995, during the making of his tv series triumph of the nerds about the birth of the pc, bob cringely did a memorable hourlong interview with steve jobs. At the time of the interview jobs was running next, the niche computer company he had founded after.
See details triumph of the nerds vhs video box set 1996 new sealed steve jobs. Book depository books with free delivery worldwide. Aug 26, 2015 nerds love big books, and this is a big book. Written and presented by bob cringely, based on his book accidental empires. This book was the basis for triumph of the nerds, the popular pbs series. It was good, but not sell my family out to the white queen good. On the existence of other cringelys through a cruel twist of fate having to do with federal judges and unscrupulous lawyers there is, for the moment, more than one robert x. Nov 15, 2011 back in 1995, bob cringely was developing the tv series triumph of the nerds about the dawn of the personal computer, and he sat down for more than an hour with jobs for a rare, extended conversation. Plus it features an exhaustive history, all the way back to the egyptians, of one of the most baffling afflictions in medicine cancer. Cringelys name is on every enemys list in silicon valley, where for eight years he was the gossip columnist for infoworld, a trade paper read each week by more. Nov 16, 2011 a nineminute portion of the 69minute interview with the late apple cofounder was aired on a tv series called triumph of the nerds in 1995. He is also the author of the bestselling book accidental empires. Many company founders, who have no trouble managing 25 highly motivated techies, fail miserably when their work force has grown to 500 and includes all types of workers.
Bob cringely tells the story like no one else could, its an industry history he should be regarded as the care taker of. Each book in the series features a different member of the team. Cringely, gossip columnist to silicon valley, searches expectantly for a hot tip. His work has appeared in the new york times, newsweek, forbes, upside, success, worth, and many other magazines and.
I learned a lot that summer and fall not only about nuclear accidents but. Cyberwar triumph of the nerds has been published on. National espionage, rescue, and defense society by. It was first screened as three episodes between 14 and 28 april 1996 on channel 4, and as a single programme on 16 december 1996 on pbs. The title, triumph of the nerds, is a play on the 1984 comedy, revenge of the nerds. Heres an excerpt from economics of scale, a chapter in cringelys 1992 book republished in 1996. The rise of accidental empires it happened more or less by accident. Cringely is the host of nerdtv, the firstever online show from pbs, as well as writer of the i, cringely blog on with more than 300,000 weekly readers contact all american speakers bureau to inquire about speaking fees and availability, and book the best keynote speaker for your next event. From his own silicon valley garage, author bob cringley puts pc bigshots and nerds on the spot, and tells their incredible true stories. Like the industry itself, the series is informative, funny and brash. Cringely mark stephens and based on his 1992 book, accidental. Triumph of the nerds vhs, 3tape set for sale online ebay. Dont ditch the glasses, and keep the book where we can see it.
Although this book may have some rude humor, the kids would still love to. Mark stephens, author of the web column i, cringely and creator of pbss triumph of the nerds, is not a former stanford professor. Not dead yet, but i should probably explain my disappearance a few months ago from life in print. Common wisdom dictates that, in order to make a geek sexy, all you have to do is remove their glasses and let down their hair.
The unsung saga of the silicon valley startup that helped give birth to the internet and then fumbled the ball by jeff chase book. A former stanford professor and foreign correspondent, he lives in palo alto, california. Cringely published the personal phone number of a renowned computer industry insider. An interactive pick the computer game that lets you test your nerd quotient. The documentary is composed of numerous interviews with important figures connected with the personal computer including steve jobs, steve wozniak, bill gates, steve ballmer, paul allen, bill atkinson, andy hertzfeld.