TV Show85%

Making the Most of the Micro

Making the Most of the Micro was a TV series broadcast in 1983 as part of the BBC's Computer Literacy Project. It followed the earlier series The Computer Programme. Unlike its predecessor, Making the Most of the Micro delved somewhat deeper into the technicalities and uses that microcomputers could be put to, once again mainly using the BBC Micro in the studio for demonstration purposes. The series was followed by Micro Live.

Jan 10, 19831 seasons10 episodesEndedEN

Start Watching

Cast spotlight

Jump into full cast pages for bio, socials, and recent work.

Ian McNaught-Davis

Acting

View profile

Seasons

Series 1

10 episodes

Premiered Jan 10, 1983

Episodes

1–6 of 10

No preview

Ep 1

The Versatile Machine

Jan 10, 1983

25m

In the first programme in the series, Ian shows how versatile the modern micro computer is. Richard Gomm suffers from cerebral palsy and uses micro to lead a fuller life - including getting a PhD in Philosophy. Bruce Banks Sails Ltd: Ian rep from Southampton on a firm which produces sails for yachts, designing them by micro. Looks at valve computer they used to use, which was installed in the late "50"s. Ian demos new micro computer and holds up what has replaced the valve computer between his finger & thumb. Ian and John Coll talk thru a demo he gives with BBC Micro, explaining peripherals & how to load the program. Ian is superimposed on enlarged inside of a BBC Micro looking at various parts of the computer & explaining what they are there and how they work (e.g. memory chips).

No preview

Ep 2

Getting Down to BASIC

Jan 17, 1983

25m

Ian presents the second programme in the series on using micro computers; intros computer language of BASIC and with aid of children at Queen Junior Schooll Richmond, explains how BASIC is structured by writing a simple program

No preview

Ep 3

Strings And Things

Jan 24, 1983

25m

Ian presents the third programme in the series about micro-computers and how to use them. Today Ian looks at how computers handle words, "string" handling, word processing and at the techniques of good and bad programming.

No preview

Ep 4

Introducing Graphics

Jan 31, 1983

25m

Ian looks at the graphics versatility of modern micro-computers with the help of John Coll.

No preview

Ep 5

Keeping A Record

Feb 7, 1983

25m

Ian presents a programme looking at the fundamental principles behind the idea of a database and begins his explanation in the BBC Gramophone Library amongst a million records.

No preview

Ep 6