Save our Software - Computerphile

Computerphile
24 May 201806:10
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this script, the presenter discusses the revival of a chemistry software commissioned by Martin Polyakov in the 1980s for educational purposes. They explore the challenges of transferring old software onto modern platforms, emphasizing the importance of data preservation in accessible formats. The process involves using an emulator to run the software on contemporary devices, highlighting the need for archiving software with its emulator to ensure long-term usability.

Takeaways
  • 📚 The script discusses a piece of software for chemistry knowledge testing, commissioned by Martin Polyakov of Periodic Videos in the 1980s.
  • 💾 It mentions the challenge of transferring software from the BBC Micro to modern computers, like PCs, Macs, or iPhones, using emulators.
  • 🔬 The video includes an attempt to get the software running on a BBC Micro, highlighting the process of data transfer and emulation.
  • 🗜 The importance of data formats is emphasized, with a discussion on the pros and cons of compressed versus uncompressed data for long-term accessibility.
  • 📸 A personal anecdote about shooting in RAW format with an SLR camera is used to illustrate the balance between preserving quality and ensuring future accessibility.
  • 🔑 The script suggests keeping data in both raw and compressed formats to maximize both quality and accessibility.
  • 🖥 It touches on the technical aspects of data transfer, such as reading sectors from a floppy disk and transferring them to another system.
  • 🔍 The process of using an emulator to run old software on modern systems is explained, with a specific example of a BBC Micro emulator.
  • 🌐 Networking systems like Echonate and Archimedes are mentioned as part of the data transfer process from the BBC Micro.
  • 🛠️ The script describes the creation of a custom program to read and transfer data from the BBC Micro's floppy disk to a network.
  • 🎮 The excitement of running old software like Martin's chemistry games on a modern computer is conveyed, showing the visceral experience of old computers.
Q & A

  • What is the purpose of the software mentioned in the script?

    -The software was commissioned by Martin Polyakov of Periodic Videos to enable A-Level students to test their chemistry knowledge.

  • What was the challenge in getting the software to run on modern computers?

    -The challenge was transferring the software from the BBC Micro to modern computers, as the original software was designed for an older system and required an emulator to run on modern hardware.

  • Why is it difficult to access old program files compared to images and videos?

    -Programs are more difficult to access because they need to be decompressed and understood in the context of their original format, which may not be supported on modern systems, unlike images and videos that can be more easily compressed and accessed due to their ubiquity.

  • What is the concern regarding the long-term accessibility of raw files from an SLR camera?

    -The concern is that in 22 years, raw files may not be as easily accessible due to potential lack of support for the specific camera and file format, emphasizing the importance of converting them into more common formats for preservation.

  • What is the argument for keeping data in an uncompressed format?

    -Uncompressed data is easier to access and use because it doesn't require knowledge of the compression method to decompress it, which can become obsolete or unsupported over time.

  • Why is it recommended to use common file formats for long-term data storage?

    -Common file formats are more likely to be supported in the future, ensuring that the data remains accessible. Using obscure formats may result in data becoming inaccessible if the format is no longer supported.

  • What was the process used to transfer the data from the BBC Micro to a modern computer?

    -The process involved reading each sector of the floppy disk track by track, writing it out to a file, and transferring it over a network to another system with a different floppy disk drive, which could then be copied to a modern computer.

  • What is an emulator and how does it relate to running old software on modern computers?

    -An emulator is a program that mimics the function of an older computer system, allowing old software to run on modern hardware by simulating the original system's environment.

  • What is the significance of archiving software with an emulator?

    -Archiving software with an emulator ensures that the software can be run in the future, as the emulator provides the necessary environment to execute the software, preserving its functionality over time.

  • How can the archived software be made accessible on the web?

    -By using a web-based emulator, such as a JavaScript BBC Micro emulator, the archived software can be embedded in a webpage, allowing users to run it directly through their web browsers.

  • What was the user's experience when they finally ran the old software on a modern computer?

    -The user found it exciting to hear the old computer sounds and see the software running on their modern computer, noting that computers were more 'visceral' in the past with audible operations.

Outlines
00:00
💾 Reviving Vintage Chemistry Software

This paragraph discusses a software program commissioned by Martin Polyakov of Periodic Videos in the 1980s for A-Level chemistry students to test their knowledge. The speaker recounts the process of running the software on a BBC Micro and considers the challenges of transferring old software to modern computers. They also reflect on the longevity of file formats, suggesting that common formats like JPEG are more accessible over time due to their ubiquity. The speaker ponders the idea of converting raw files to compressed formats for easier future access and discusses the importance of keeping data in a format that can be decoded and used, emphasizing the need for both raw and compressed file storage.

05:03
🖥️ Emulating BBC Micro with Modern Technology

The second paragraph delves into the technical aspects of emulating the BBC Micro on a modern computer using an open-source emulator called 'BBM'. The speaker describes the process of getting the software to run on a modern machine, highlighting the need to emulate the entire system, not just the software. They mention the creation of a program to read and copy data from a 5.25-inch floppy disk to a file, which is then transferred to a Mac using a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive. The paragraph concludes with the successful emulation of Martin's chemistry games on a Mac, showcasing the capabilities of modern machines to emulate older systems effectively and the excitement of hearing the original computer sounds.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Software Preservation
Software Preservation refers to the process of maintaining and ensuring the accessibility of software over time. In the video's context, it's about preserving a chemistry knowledge-testing software commissioned by Martin Polyakov. The theme revolves around the challenges of accessing and running old software on modern systems, exemplified by the effort to get the software running on a BBC Micro.
💡BBC Micro
The BBC Micro is a series of microcomputers produced in the 1980s by Acorn Computers for the British Broadcasting Corporation. In the video, it's the original platform on which the chemistry software was developed and tested. The script discusses the process of getting the software to run on this vintage machine as a way to demonstrate its preservation.
💡Emulation
Emulation is the act of imitating one system on another, allowing software designed for an older or different system to run on a modern computer. The script discusses the process of emulating the BBC Micro environment on a modern computer to run the old software, highlighting the importance of emulation in software preservation.
💡Data Compression
Data Compression is the process of reducing the size of data to save storage space or transmission time. The video script mentions the trade-off between preserving data in a compressed format for space efficiency versus the potential difficulty of accessing it years later. It suggests that while compression is common, it's crucial to use widely supported formats for long-term access.
💡RAW Files
RAW files are digital images directly from the image sensor of a digital camera, without any processing. The script uses RAW files as an example to discuss the potential issues with preserving data in formats that may not be easily accessible in the future, suggesting that converting them to more common formats could be beneficial for long-term preservation.
💡File Formats
File Formats are standardized ways that digital information is encoded for storage in a computer file. The video script emphasizes the importance of using common and widely supported file formats to ensure that data can be accessed and used in the future, contrasting the ubiquity of JPEG with the potential obscurity of proprietary formats.
💡Floppy Drive
A Floppy Drive is an older data storage device that reads and writes data on floppy disks. The script discusses the practical challenges of accessing data from a five-and-a-quarter-inch floppy drive, which is no longer common, as part of the process of transferring old software to modern systems.
💡Sector and Bisector
In the context of the video, a Sector refers to a division of data on a disk, and a Bisector is a specific part of a sector. The script describes a process of reading data off a floppy disk sector by sector, which is part of the technical process of transferring data from old media to new storage.
💡Archimedes
The Archimedes is a series of computers produced by Acorn Computers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In the script, it's mentioned as an intermediate step in transferring data from the BBC Micro to a modern system, using its three-and-a-half-inch floppy disk drive.
💡BBC Emulator
A BBC Emulator is software that mimics the functionality of a BBC Micro computer on a different system. The script describes using an open-source BBC emulator to run the old chemistry software on a modern computer, demonstrating how emulation can facilitate software preservation.
💡Digital Archiving
Digital Archiving is the process of preserving digital information for the long term. The video script touches on the broader concept of archiving software, suggesting that it's not just about preserving the data but also the environment or emulator needed to run the software, ensuring its continued accessibility.
Highlights

Martin Polyakov of Periodic Videos commissioned software in the 80s for chemistry students.

The software enables testing of chemistry knowledge on the BBC Micro.

Periodic Videos may have been running out of storage space, prompting a look at software preservation.

The challenge of transferring software from the BBC Micro to modern computers.

The ubiquity of JPEGs for image access versus the potential obsolescence of RAW files.

The importance of preserving files in both RAW and compressed formats for longevity.

The need for a common file format to ensure future accessibility of data.

The process of accessing and understanding data on the disk for software like Martin's chemistry games.

The argument for keeping data in an uncompressed format for ease of access.

The dilemma of storage space versus the benefits of uncompressed data.

The technical process of copying data from a 5.25-inch floppy disk to a modern system.

The use of an earlier networking system called Echonate for data transfer.

Writing custom software to read and transfer disk data sector by sector.

The use of an emulator to run old software on modern computers.

The availability of open-source emulators like the BBC Micro emulator 'BBM'.

The capability of modern machines to emulate older systems effectively.

The JavaScript BBC Micro emulator allowing web-based software execution.

The excitement of running vintage software on modern computers and the visceral experience of old computers.

Transcripts

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Related Tags
BBC MicroSoftware RevivalChemistry EducationVintage TechEmulationPeriodic VideosData PreservationMartin PolyakovDigital ArchivingEducational GamesRetro Computing