The award-winning WIRED UK Podcast with James Temperton and the rest of the team. Listen every week for the an informed and entertaining rundown of latest technology, science, business and culture news. New episodes every Friday.
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Content provided by Juan Rodriguez. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Juan Rodriguez or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
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History of Modern Technology: Cards, Codes, And Courage
Manage episode 517330189 series 2820603
Content provided by Juan Rodriguez. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Juan Rodriguez or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
A census solved with cardboard, a company remade by a $5 billion gamble, and a tiny firmware layer that cracked open the PC market—this is the human story behind how computing became a platform, not a product. We go from Hermann Hollerith’s 1890 insight to IBM’s sales-first system that taught the world to think in fields and records, and then to the cultural and ethical crosscurrents that come with scale. Those punched holes didn’t just count people; they trained generations to quantify work, plan logistics, and make decisions with data.
The narrative turns at a crossroads in the early 1960s. Thomas J. Watson Jr. sees a maze of incompatible machines and bets the company on a single, compatible architecture: System/360. It demanded new chips, code, factories, and nerve. Launch day lands with shock and relief—orders flood in for a family of computers that finally speak the same language. That choice redefined the industry’s economics: software could live longer than hardware, upgrades didn’t mean rewrites, and customers stopped fearing growth. Architecture became destiny, and IBM set the standard that everyone from Apple to ARM would later emulate in their own ecosystems.
Then the stage shifts again to 1981, where a humble BIOS turns one machine into a platform. IBM documented how its firmware behaved; Compaq legally reimplemented it; the clone market ignited. Prices dropped, innovation surged, and the Wintel era took shape. IBM lost tight control but the world gained a common PC standard that carried software across brands and borders. From punch card schemas to UEFI, from batch jobs to cloud migrations, the same lesson repeats: design for compatibility, bet on continuity, and accept that openness can multiply impact.
If the story made you think differently about the architecture beneath your apps and devices, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help others find Technology Tap. What bold standard—or act of openness—should today’s tech leaders champion next?
Interviews with Tech Leaders and insights on the latest emerging technology trends.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Art By Sarah/Desmond
Music by Joakim Karud
Little chacha Productions
Juan Rodriguez can be reached at
TikTok @ProfessorJrod
[email protected]
@Prof_JRod
Instagram ProfessorJRod
Chapters
1. History of Modern Technology: Cards, Codes, And Courage (00:00:00)
2. [Ad] Inspiring Tech Leaders - The Technology Podcast (00:09:16)
3. (Cont.) History of Modern Technology: Cards, Codes, And Courage (00:09:50)
103 episodes
Share
Manage episode 517330189 series 2820603
Content provided by Juan Rodriguez. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Juan Rodriguez or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
A census solved with cardboard, a company remade by a $5 billion gamble, and a tiny firmware layer that cracked open the PC market—this is the human story behind how computing became a platform, not a product. We go from Hermann Hollerith’s 1890 insight to IBM’s sales-first system that taught the world to think in fields and records, and then to the cultural and ethical crosscurrents that come with scale. Those punched holes didn’t just count people; they trained generations to quantify work, plan logistics, and make decisions with data.
The narrative turns at a crossroads in the early 1960s. Thomas J. Watson Jr. sees a maze of incompatible machines and bets the company on a single, compatible architecture: System/360. It demanded new chips, code, factories, and nerve. Launch day lands with shock and relief—orders flood in for a family of computers that finally speak the same language. That choice redefined the industry’s economics: software could live longer than hardware, upgrades didn’t mean rewrites, and customers stopped fearing growth. Architecture became destiny, and IBM set the standard that everyone from Apple to ARM would later emulate in their own ecosystems.
Then the stage shifts again to 1981, where a humble BIOS turns one machine into a platform. IBM documented how its firmware behaved; Compaq legally reimplemented it; the clone market ignited. Prices dropped, innovation surged, and the Wintel era took shape. IBM lost tight control but the world gained a common PC standard that carried software across brands and borders. From punch card schemas to UEFI, from batch jobs to cloud migrations, the same lesson repeats: design for compatibility, bet on continuity, and accept that openness can multiply impact.
If the story made you think differently about the architecture beneath your apps and devices, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help others find Technology Tap. What bold standard—or act of openness—should today’s tech leaders champion next?
Interviews with Tech Leaders and insights on the latest emerging technology trends.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Art By Sarah/Desmond
Music by Joakim Karud
Little chacha Productions
Juan Rodriguez can be reached at
TikTok @ProfessorJrod
[email protected]
@Prof_JRod
Instagram ProfessorJRod
Chapters
1. History of Modern Technology: Cards, Codes, And Courage (00:00:00)
2. [Ad] Inspiring Tech Leaders - The Technology Podcast (00:09:16)
3. (Cont.) History of Modern Technology: Cards, Codes, And Courage (00:09:50)
103 episodes
All episodes
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Similar to Technology Tap
The award-winning WIRED UK Podcast with James Temperton and the rest of the team. Listen every week for the an informed and entertaining rundown of latest technology, science, business and culture news. New episodes every Friday.
…
continue reading
Hanselminutes is Fresh Air for Developers. A weekly commute-time podcast that promotes fresh technology and fresh voices. Talk and Tech for Developers, Life-long Learners, and Technologists.
…
continue reading
BBC Radio 5 live’s award winning gaming podcast, discussing the world of video games and games culture.
…
continue reading
The director’s commentary track for Daring Fireball. Long digressions on Apple, technology, design, movies, and more.
…
continue reading
How does artificial intelligence change when people — not profit — truly come first? Join IRL’s host Bridget Todd, as she meets people around the world building responsible alternatives to the tech that’s changing how we work, communicate, and even listen to music.
…
continue reading
A weekly talk show taking a pragmatic look at the art and business of Software Development and the world of technology.
…
continue reading
The power of Data is undeniable. And unharnessed - it's nothing but chaos. Making data your ally. Using it to lead with confidence and clarity. Host Jess Carter is solving problems in real-time to reveal what's possible. Helping communities and people thrive. This is Data Driven Leadership, a show brought to you by Resultant.
…
continue reading
WSJ’s Bold Names brings you conversations with the leaders of the bold-named companies featured in the pages of The Wall Street Journal. Hosts Tim Higgins and Christopher Mims speak to CEOs and business leaders in interviews that challenge conventional wisdom and take you inside the decisions being made in the C-suite and beyond.
…
continue reading
We help founders make something people want. The Y Combinator Podcast is where builders talk about building. From the earliest days of an idea to scaling a company that changes the world, YC partners and founders share real stories, lessons, and tactics from the frontlines.
…
continue reading
Everyone has a dream. But sometimes there’s a gap between where we are and where we want to be. True, there are some people who can bridge that gap easily, on their own, but all of us need a little help at some point. A little boost. An accountability partner. A Snooze Squad. In each episode, the Snooze Squad will strategize an action plan for people to face their fears. Guests will transform their own perception of their potential and walk away a few inches closer to who they want to become ...
…
continue reading
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