AMERICAN EXPERIENCE | Silicon Valley Chapter 1 | PBS

Premieres Feb. 5, 2013 // Robert Noyce's invention of the microchip launched the world into the Information Age.

[spencerbergquist]

I was a part of this Silicon Valley Tech in the 70-80 's . It Transferred from farms to Hi-tech, and it caused the rest of us to put up with and get addicted to which we did. Still a nice place to live SanFranciscoBayArea weather-wise, expensive, but for the tech minded, there are affordable jobs. (I mean affordable jobs). Looks like an interesting Doc, I've subscribed.

[TheArfdog]

This promises to be a remarkable documentary!

[Cryo]

Everyone knows who Jobs and Gates are. But has anyone heard of Robert Noyce? He is to the modern computer what Robert Oppenheimer was to the Atomic Bomb. I bought this movie from Amazon and was shocked that I had never heard of any of these guys except Shockley (and then only for his views on evolution..). This movie should be required viewing for every student in any field of high tech. THIS is the groundwork on which all modern computer HW owes everything. Absolutely fascinating and inspiring. 

[TheArfdog]

I find it incredible that the US is the mother of these inventions yet they are mass-produced in other parts of the world. But maybe that's the role of the most advanced economies.... intellectual property creation. The role of forging raw material into physical products seems to be more economically fulfilled by developing nations.

[colinmaxwelljones]

13:31 My grandpa right there... rest in peace bossman!

[ednan]

tremendous. I live in the valley. This is awesome

[EverDubin]

1:50

Now that's swagger right there....

[larrymelman]

Where is the rest of this? It's over 9 years old now. Post the whole thing.

[johngoblue]

Everybody knows Bardeen did the theory, Brattain did the handiwork, and Shockley was just the manager who missed out

[jasonoleary]

Golden age of California.. look at it now!

[jamescoughlin]

If anyone has the full documentary for free somewhere send me a link please!

[ihateuutube]

"It was like picking up the phone and talking to God." - Bob Noyce

[docpedersen]

Great program.... big thumbs down for only posting short teaser of series. Do you expect viewers to go looking for the rest on conventional TV? Here is a news flash: Some of us don't watch ANY conventional TV at all!

[antigen]

doesn't tell even half the story- if you want to hear the full pre-story - check out the Computer Museum's excellent presentation "The Secret History of Silicon Valley" - and how US military capital was used to build the tech industry in what would become silicon valley eventually through DARPA Radar technology projects which fueled the Cold War. Pretty fascinating stuff.

[MrMarbles]

Really disappointing that the PBS website won't stream the full program in Canada, even as WNED keeps asking for money to the extent that it's branded itself a Buffalo/Toronto station.

[jpgrumbach]

Tom wolfe produced a nice piece of literature concentrating on noyce's background which you can find in his book 'hooking on'.

Do yourself a big favour and read it, read the whole book.

[BarriosGroupie]

No different to other entrepreneurs that started Google, Apple, Microsoft etc

[johnvictorengland]

Ah. The valley before all the Indians showed up. SF was a nice place to live back in the day.