Viva Computer - A people's history of computing
Viva Computer records the memories of the engineers, inventors, microchip designers, game developers, tech entrepreneurs and end users who have helped create the high-tech world we live in today. Their stories, freely available in this audio-visual archive, help us gain a deeper understanding of the computing industry’s history of innovation, and Cambridge’s unique position within it. Many of the stories are told by the innovators of the time; others are told by ordinary people who kindly told their stories as part of our public events.
Viva Computer! was supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
The interviewees were generous in sharing their memories and visitors to these pages are asked to treat this material with respect and sensitivity. The content of oral history interviews is personal, experiential and interpretive because, by its nature, it relies on the memories, perceptions and opinions of individuals. If you refer to this material elsewhere, please present the recordings in context so that interviewees’ meanings are not misconstrued.
All interviewees have given permission for the video to be preserved as a permanent public reference resource for use in research, publication, education, lectures, broadcasting and the internet. The views expressed in these recordings should not be taken as statements of fact or opinion endorsed by The Centre for Computing History or by any of the organisations referred therein.
The Centre for Computing History is committed to continuing this project. If you’d like to be part of the story, please get in touch.
Be part of the story...
...as a producer/editor!
We currently have unedited footage that needs to be put together and made available online. If you are proficent with video editing software and methods, and have the time to help, please do get in touch.
...as a storyteller!
We are looking for local people with computing stories
- How were you involved with the industry? How have you contributed to the development and use of computing as we know it today? Could you give us an insight into the culture and spirit of the time?
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How has your life been changed by the phenomenon? How have computers and technology altered the way you work, play, live, sport, date and communicate?
Don’t let your story go untold. Please contact us to arrange a time and date to have a chat.
...as a story collector!
We are looking for people interested in contributing their time, experience, and passion to continue this project.
As a volunteer you would be part of a team, capturing the stories of some of leading thinkers and innovators and finding out the vital contributions they made to the digital world. We are always looking for people to fill the role of researcher, interviewer, camera technician, sound recordist and sound and video editor to extend our digital archive.
If you are interested, please contact us.
