Triumph of the Nerds Part I

The triumph of the nerds is a really interesting documentary about the rise of the computer culture we know today that went from being something only a few knew about and used, to a multimillion dollar business that has expanded all over the globe to almost every household. We see how everything started from a few students messing around with devices that, while they didn’t know exactly what it did, they were determined to figure out a way to use them. And that’s what they did, they learned to use the Altair, something that seems to simple for us now like turning on a little lightbulb was revolutionary for the computer club.

To the big companies like IBM that had been making computers for a long time it seemed incredible, almost impossible, that in the near future, many people would be interested in having their very own personal computer, so they missed a big chance to be the pioneers in the personal computer business. Instead, young figures like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs started popping up with million dollar ideas, and creating businesses that are now gigantic enterprises, and now, a computer is not something that is only used for work, but something that brings entertainment and connects people around the world.

Something that the computer business also changed was the way some people worked, before, everyone was used to having a 9 to 5 job, strict dress code and a well structured hierarchy in their jobs. Software companies were different, people could work at whatever pace they wanted as long as they met the deadlines, there was no strict dress code inside the company and while there were bosses and leaders in different areas, the lines were more blurred when compared to how big companies have these roles within.