Nerds 2.0.1 A Brief History of the Internet (1998)

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Join Robert X Cringely in this much-anticipated sequel to Triumph of the Nerds, as he turns his well-informed and irreverent eye on the intriguing history of the Internet. Go deep into the bowels of the Pentagon to witness the birth of the Internet and follow its rapid rise to the cutting edge of the World Wide Web. On his journey, Cringely interviews the unknown nerds who laid the Internet's foundations, visits the Silicon Valley of India and grills the founders of the networking companies who have made millions from this fascinating new technology.

Nerds 2.0.1: A Brief History of the Internet (1998) is a three-hour documentary film written and hosted by Mark Stephens under the pseudonym Robert X. Cringely and produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting for PBS. This three-part sequel to the well-received Triumph of the Nerds, recaptures the same trendy style so effectively used by Robert Cringely. A sequel to Triumph of the Nerds, Nerds 2.0.1 documents the development of ARPANET, the Internet, the World Wide Web and the dot-com bubble of the mid- and late-1990s. It was broadcast two years prior to the collapse of the dot-com bubble.

Vol. 1 - Networking the Nerds explores the origins of the World Wide Web as Cringley mixes interviews with features that manage to engage both the technically inclined and the computer-naïve viewers. His knowledge of the industry is invaluable for drawing out interesting commentary from the top players of the web. This episode reveals the earliest days of the web when it was primarily used by university personnel. (www.allmovies.com)

Vol. 2 - Serving the Suits continues the journey through the web with a look at some of the key figures who helped develop the Internet. Nerds 2.0.1: A Brief History of the Internet, Vol. 2 - Serving the Suits traces the growth of networking from academic use to the business world. The first "nerd" to make a million was Bob Metcalfe, who mastered the art of connecting computers in a network. Then, companies such as Sun, Novell, Cisco, Microsoft, and 3Com began their rapid rise. Cringely talks to some of the principals involved.

In the 1980's, personal computers became a common fixture in homes and offices. Supplying business with computers and software grew into one of the biggest industries in less than a decade. Soon, networking became a profitable business for engineers previously restricted to networking mainframes.

Vol. 3, The last part in this series hosted by Robert Cringely - Wiring the World - focuses on Excite, a hot, billion-dollar company started up by six Stanford graduates. Cringely continues to pursue information behind the massive development efforts of the many key players of the World Wide Web. One of these figures is Tim Berners-Lee, who is credited with the design of the web, and who has fought to keep it free. Giants in the Internet corporate world, including Netscape and Microsoft, are closely examined.


The rise of the personal computer by Apple and IBM introduced the rest of the world to computing. At first, computers were the tools of technically inclined nerds, but new applications drew other people to the keyboard. With an affordable modem, people could connect with other computer enthusiasts and commercial online services. People were using the computer as Bush and Licklider had prophesized, as a medium to interact with other people.