Hackers - Wizards of the Electronic Age

Hackers is a classic documentary about the midnight programmers that created the personal computer revolution.

Hackers is not about malicious code-crackers. It is about a "hacker ethic" that led to major breakthroughs in technology, and forever changed our world. From the first MIT hackers to popular Silicon Valley inventors, this program covers this fascinating cultural phenomenon through interviews with twelve of its early pioneers.

This half-hour program features conversations with: Steve Wozniak, designer of the Apple II; Andy Hertzfeld and Bill Atkinson, designers of the Macintosh; Homebrew Computer Club leader Lee Felsenstein; MIT hackers Richard Stallman and Richard Greenblatt; and many more.

Hackers was produced over a decade before the advent of the Internet. All interviews were shot over a long week-end in 1984, at the first Hackers Conference, hosted by Whole Earth Catalog editors Stewart Brand and Kevin Kelley, in Sausalito, California. This event was inspired by Steven Levy’s classic book Hackers – Heroes of the Computer Revolution.

Running time: 26 minutes

Historical Interviews with Hi Tech Pioneers

Interesting historical interviews with figures important to the high tech industry but the DVD is very brief at 26 minutes. July 10, 2008

Modern history .....

Modern history ..... Amusement , but not to special . It is a "B" documentary . January 7, 2008

Mildly interesting

Mildly interesting video. I had expected a bit more, but this is 30 minutes of a couple of people talking about how cool computers were - in 1980. Nice to see a very young Richard Stallman, and other notorious hackers (Steve Wozniak, Andy Hertzfeld), but all in all a low value video... May 7, 2007

Great DVD

Being a geek history buff I really enjoyed this DVD.

If you've read Robert X. Cringely's "Accidental Empires", or watched his "Triumph of the Nerds" or "Nerds 2.0.1" videos, or read any of the other good geek history books like "Fire in the Valley" or "Silicon Boys", you will probably enjoy this video.

It's not a comprehensive history (it's only 26 minutes), but offers some cool interviews and other stuff from the pioneers of the modern "PC" era.

You can also watch one of my heroes, Steve Wozniak (Apple co-founder), state how (at the time, in 1985) there were "too many" computer people creating too much software and other stuff, and how the market didn't need that much stuff. These days the number of geeks and computer products has increased exponentially though.. This is his equivalent of the Bill Gates "640k" statement around that same time I think. =)

It's a good video, I only wish it was longer. February 13, 2007

A nostalgic video

I like the viideo, hearing woz and the old school hackers, what did they think, how did they live their lifes, but I think it could be better if you put some mmm... I don't know... subtitles? and some pics or something about making the movie, or maybe actual interviews with the people of this video, cuase, it's a little long... (26 Mins.) I know this could be better, but it's up to you guys.... January 9, 2007

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