Learn · Gresham College

Lecture series6 lectures

The Prehistory of IT

Professor Victoria Baines · Gresham College

Start with lecture 1 At Gresham College

About

What links an ancient shipwreck to the textile mills of Northern England? Both contained forerunners of the computing we use today. In fact, computer language and software have a long history, featuring military research and the repurposing of early programs widely used in manufacturing. This lecture delves into the earliest archives of processing, prediction, difference and analytical engines, to discover who really made them all work.

Lectures

  1. The Ancient History of Computers and Code 2024-09-24 · Audio
  2. Messaging and Signals 2024-10-29 · Audio
  3. Who’s Afraid of Robots? 2025-01-07 · Audio
  4. Data: A Love Story for the Ages 2025-02-25 · Audio
  5. How Surveillance Works 2025-04-08 · YouTube
  6. The Moral Case for Stealing Data 2025-05-20 · Audio

Credits and licence

Institution
Gresham College
Speaker
Professor Victoria Baines
Year
2024
Level
For everyone
Language
English
Subjects
Computer science, History, Philosophy
Source
Gresham College
Licence
Educational use (Gresham College's terms), as Gresham College states it. Gresham College's terms
Attribution
Gresham College states: "We positively encourage the use of the Gresham College lecture transcripts, audio and video files for educational purposes. However, we do not allow use of Gresham College materials for commercial, personal or institutional gain."
Who can watch
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