Product Description:
#14531 General Computer Science - Square One: An Introduction to Computers (Run time 27 min.) DVD $39.95
Introduces students to some of the essential computer concepts, terms used, and types of computers. The first portion examines computer hardware. Part two describes the different types of software available, what function each type performs, and how it applies to you. Part three looks at some of the specialized software in use today including graphics, CAD/CAM, accounting and others. One 30-minute video.
#10953 General Computer Science - Hacking Around: Breaching Networks for Fun and Profit (Run time 12 min.) DVD $69.95
The Pentagon is under attack-not by missiles, but by computer hackers probing for weaknesses. As hacking and cracking proliferate, the effects are being felt by the government, academia, and even big business, as in the case of Citibank, which was ripped off for $10 million. In this program, NewsHour correspondent Tom Bearden reports on the growing threat of network penetration and efforts being made to combat it, interviewing Deputy Secretary of Defense John Hamre, a network manager at MIT, representatives of the FBI and CERT, and members of L0pht ("loft"), the well-known hacker think-tank. (12 minutes)
#4993 General Computer Science - Inventing the Future: Robert Lucky (Run time 52 min.) DVD $89.95
As executive director of research at AT&T Bell Laboratories, Robert Lucky leads a team of scientists and engineers who are inventing the future. He spends his days thinking about people and machines and the different ways of knowing things. From advanced computer networks to a robot named Sam who understands human speech, Lucky and his colleagues are exploring how technology will touch our lives in the 21st century. In this program with Bill Moyers, Lucky discusses America's competition with Japan, how society's needs and wants determine the direction of technology, and the world of "virtual space." (52 minutes)
#5513 General Computer Science - An Introduction to Computers (Run time 23 min.) DVD $89.95
At home, at work, at play, computers have invaded our lives. What actually goes on inside these "black boxes"? This program takes us inside the jumble of integrated circuitry and memories of an electronic brain to show that artificial intelligence isn't really so complicated. We find out how that essential computer component, the chip, is made, step-by-step. And we learn about one of the most promising uses of informatics: expert systems, "intelligent" software capable of making medical diagnoses in hospital emergency rooms. (23 minutes)
#8613 General Computer Science - The Y2K Problem: The Millennium Bug (Run time 21 min.) DVD $89.95
When computers ticked over to 1/1/00 without a glitch, many branded the Y2K problem a costly scare, while others hailed the non-event as the computer industry's finest hour. In part one of this 1998 program, NewsHour correspondent Paul Solman talks about the possibility of a technology meltdown with author and MIT software engineer Ed Yourdon, who at that time predicted a January 2000 filled with severe disruptions of core businesses and national infrastructures. In part two, popular scientist Stephen Jay Gould lends a historical perspective to the issue by discussing the arbitrary nature of the millennial calendar. (21 minutes)
#11359 General Computer Science - Bringing Computer Games to Life: Artificial Intelligence and Physics (Run time 28 min.) DVD $89.95
Never short of eager programmers and willing testers, the computer game industry has long been both a hothouse and a proving ground for cutting-edge computer applications. Focusing on efforts to integrate artificial intelligence and the laws of physics into character response and movement, this program takes an inside look at how Britain's sophisticated computer game industry is pushing the envelope of creativity. Bullfrog Productions founder Peter Molyneux, designer of mega-hit computer role-playing games including Populous and Theme Park, is featured. (30 minutes)
#29445 General Computer Science - The History of Computers (Run time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
The history of computers is not just the story of a specialized machine but of a great idea and the people who made it happen. Initially designed as large-scale calculators, computers have quickly become indispensable tools in every field of endeavor. This fascinating program traces the course of technological innovations leading up to today's computers, from Charles Babbage and his analytical engine of the 1860s to 21st-century PCs. All the major concepts, advances, and companies are explored using demonstrations, expert commentary, and historic film footage and interviews. The program shows how ideas such as Boolean logic, the binary system, magnetic/iron core memory, and microprocessors have dramatically increased the capacity of computers while drastically reducing their size, a phenomenon known as Moore's Law. The personal computer or PC boom is easily seen as an inevitable event, with software programmers such as Steve Jobs and Bill Gates emerging as its leaders. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. A Cambridge Educational Production. (26 minutes)
#30697 General Computer Science - Lifting the Lid: How Computers Work (Run time min.) DVD $89.95
Most computer users are familiar with terms such as chips, hard drives, and RAM, but what exactly is a chip and what does it do? What does a hard drive look like and how does it work? With helpful graphics and a lively presentation, this informative, entertaining program goes inside today's typical computer to look at the functions of its main components. Close-up visuals show the inner workings of the hard disc drive, while clever demonstrations make concepts such as memory, binary coding, and RAM easy to understand. Convenient summaries follow each section of new material. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. (32 minutes)
#5628 Virtual Reality - Exploring Virtual Reality (Run time 23 min.) DVD $89.95
Virtual reality enables us to travel through a world of tri-dimensional images, to hear what goes on and even to touch and manipulate objects contained in this world. This program examines the technology of virtual reality and the use of computers to simulate diverse acoustic sounds and reproduce the sounds of traditional instruments. It also focuses on the use of virtual reality to control robots as they perform delicate repairs in dangerous locations, demonstrating its importance as a means of training in difficult or dangerous situations. (23 minutes)
#8353 General Computer Science - Real Life, Artificial Life (Run time 57 min.) DVD $99.95
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein portrayed the human quest to create artificial life. This program examines how far we have progressed since then-to today's human-like robots. In labs across the U.S., Europe, and Japan, researchers are designing incredible animal- and human-like robots with the aid of computers. Several researchers provide a definition of artificial life and discuss how new technologies are allowing them to replicate biological models. Yet, the ethical implications remain unresolved. The program examines those implications as it heralds the progress being made toward creating more sophisticated forms of artificial life. (57 minutes)
#25077 Software & Applications - Computer Peripherals (Run time 24 min.) DVD $99.95
Peripherals include devices that are not part of the computer but are tied directly to it, like printers (laser, dot matrix, ink jet, photographic imagesetters, and plotters), input devices (graphic tablet, modems, midi), and storage devices (internal/external drive, optical drive, CD-ROM). Viewers gain additional information and confidence in computer skills as each of these items is clearly detailed. One 24-minute video. A Meridian Production.
#25080 Software & Applications - Computers at Work (Run time 27 min.) DVD $99.95
Viewers discover the many valuable yet routine tasks that computers are regularly performing. These include word processing, draw/paint programs, spreadsheets, inventory control, billing, check writing, CAD, CAM, computer analysis, and many others. And computers are often just as useful in the home as they are in business and industry. For many, a personal computer will become as indispensable as the kitchen sink. One 27-minute video. A Meridian Production.
#25583 Software & Applications - How Computers Operate (Run time 25 min.) DVD $99.95
Information is one of the best ways to become comfortable with computers. Computer terms like circuit, byte, bit, megabytes, RAM, digital logic, motherboard, operating system, booting application, and many others will become familiar as viewers learn the basics shown in this program. One 26-minute video. A Meridian Production.
#8351 General Computer Science - Computer Architecture (Run time 17 min.) DVD $129.95
This technical program provides a step-by-step explanation of the infrastructure of computers and how they actually work. An overview of the processor includes discussions about how its interconnections make memory possible. Other topics include the bus and binary works and memory storage locations. Using excellent computer graphics, we see how the arithmetic and logic unit (ALU) adds two binary numbers, and how the information is stored. A discussion of the ALU and flags concludes the program. (17 minutes)
#9333 General Computer Science - Computer Intelligence (Run time 19 min.) DVD $129.95
The latest computers emulate neural networks through programs that simulate the processes of the human brain. These neural networks are based on pattern recognition, rather than rules. Computer engineers construct networks by developing a knowledge base and inference engine and then designing a user interface. This program interviews computer programmers who discuss the process of developing neural networks and their applications, such as APAX. (20 minutes)
#11727 General Computer Science - Computer Security (Run time 30 min.) DVD $129.95
Some data thieves break into PCs electronically from remote locations, while others walk right in the front door during business hours. This program addresses the vulnerability of data stored on hard drives, on file servers, on removable media, and in computer memory, as well as of data passed over the Internet. Case studies of both large and small companies provide an opportunity for computer security experts to explain measures that every company should take in order to protect its information assets. Fire walls, virus containment, encryption, authentication, access controls, and the development of a corporate culture of security are stressed. (30 minutes)
#31075 Software & Applications - Video Games: Creating Virtual Fantasy (Run time 46 min.) DVD $129.95
With annual sales figures mounting up into the billions of dollars, video games have reshaped the leisure landscape. Who are the brains behind the big-budget masterpieces such as Star Wars: Force Commander and the Turok series, and what is it like to be part of a game development team? In this program, creative directors, writers, designers, artists, programmers, composers, sound effects specialists, and testers from Nintendo of America, LucasArts Entertainment, and Acclaim Studios step through every stage of the game development process, from initial concept to last-minute prerelease debugging. (46 minutes)
#7884 General Computer Science - Human Consciousness and Computers (Run time 28 min.) DVD $149.95
In this program, two major experts, Roger Penrose of Oxford University and Stuart Hammeroff of Arizona University, discuss the nature of human consciousness and whether computers can ever be taught to think. Penrose disputes the possibility with mathematics and quantum physics. Studies conducted on the human brain by Hammeroff using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) also appear to discredit the notion. However, the developers of the Cog robot prototype describe their role in the evolution of "thinking, feeling" machines by showing how they are spoon-feeding awareness into a robot through electrical impulses. Excellent animation illustrates many of the concepts presented. (28 minutes)
#32924 Software & Applications - The Video Game: Past, Present, and Future (Run time 51 min.) DVD $149.95
From Pong and Donkey Kong to Final Fantasy and Tomb Raider, this program traces the remarkable history of video games by studying the companies, technologies, and economics that are fueling the industry in Japan, the U.S., and France. It also seeks to understand the driving force behind the video game's phenomenal cultural penetration while offering insights into the rigorous development and aggressive multichannel marketing of games and game consoles. The inevitable convergence of the video game and film industries and the impact of the Internet as a global gaming environment are also considered. (51 minutes)
#4049 Virtual Reality - Virtual Reality (Run time 26 min.) DVD $149.95
This program covers the thirty-year history of virtual reality technology, and shows: medical students practicing on virtual bodies, architects substituting virtual visits for blueprints, and Japanese shoppers sampling virtual kitchens. The program shows how virtual simulations have been used in the manufacturing, medical, art, and entertainment industries, and raises significant questions regarding the social and political implications of replacing the physical with an artificial world. (26 minutes)
#26715 Software & Applications - Understanding Computers (Run time min.) DVD $299.85
Information is one of the best ways to become comfortable with computers. This series of 3 videos covers computer terms such as circuit, byte, bit, megabytes, RAM, and many others. Viewers will become familiar with peripheral devices and how they operate, including printers, input devices, and storage devices. Also detailed are the many valuable yet routine tasks that computers are regularly performing. These include word processing, draw/paint programs, spreadsheets, inventory control, billing, check writing, CAD/CAM, computer analysis, and many others. Give your students the computer basics. A Meridian Production.
