BBC Domesday (1980's Google Street View) - Computerphile

TL;DR

In 1986, the BBC developed the Doomsday system, a modern version of William the Conqueror's Doomsday Book, using new technology.

Transcript

it's the doomsday system and this was a project in 1986 developed by BBC with a lot of input from BBC schools but it was using brand-new technology to remember the 900th anniversary of the Doomsday Book this is a modern version of it and what it was was an enormous catalogue of everything that William the Conqueror had conquered no the original doo... Read More

Key Insights

• 📽️ The Doomsday system was a technological project developed by the BBC in 1986 to commemorate the Doomsday Book's anniversary.
• 💽 The system consisted of two double-sided disks filled with analog frames, with each disk containing different categories of information.
• 👍 Maintaining the Doomsday system has proven challenging due to the fragility of the disks and the scarcity of repair resources.
• 💦 In 2011, a remake of the Doomsday system was created using the original data, and it was adapted to work on a touch table program.
• 💁 The Doomsday system represents a significant effort in digitizing and cataloging vast amounts of information contributed by schools all over the country.
• 🧑‍🎓 The system aimed to educate students about using computers and foster a greater understanding of their local areas.
• 🌋 Other educational software titles, such as the Eco disc and volcanoes, were also produced by the BBC to complement the Doomsday system.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was the purpose of the Doomsday system developed by the BBC?

The Doomsday system was created by the BBC to remember and commemorate the 900th anniversary of William the Conqueror's Doomsday Book.

Q: How was the Doomsday system structured?

The system consisted of two double-sided disks, one containing national information and the other containing community information. It utilized analog frames and had 55,000 tracks.

Q: Why is it challenging to maintain the Doomsday system?

Both the disks and the players used to access them are prone to failure, making it difficult to keep the system in working order. Repairing them has proven to be a challenge due to a lack of available resources.

Q: How was the Doomsday system remade in 2011?

A 2011 remake of the Doomsday system was created using the original data. It was designed to work on a touch table program, utilizing a PC with Windows as its operating system.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Doomsday system was a project by the BBC in 1986 to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the Doomsday Book, an extensive catalog of William the Conqueror's conquests.

• The system consisted of two double-sided disks filled with analog frames and 55,000 tracks, containing different content categorized as national and community information.

• Unfortunately, both the disks and the players used to access them are difficult to maintain, and a 2011 remake was created to utilize the original data on a touch table program.