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1401b
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11 Nov 2013, 5:41 pm

It was a documentary like show where they showed how a chain of historical inventions lead to one thing or another ending in, like, the space shuttle, or refrigeration, or computers.
It was shown around the turn of the millennium (this one) on one of the brain channels - discovery, the learning channel, history channel- some such.

I think on one it was how the spinning wheel lead to computers;
-by making thread faster than rolling it on one's thigh;
-which made cloth more common, (and inexpensive);
-which allowed people to buy new clothes more often, (rather than patching old ones);
-which made a surplus of used clothes;
-which was then used by paper manufactures to make more paper;
-which allowed more contracts to be written;
-which allowed groups of people to fund investments that only individuals could do heretofore;
-which allowed common people to become more prosperous;
-which allowed them to buy more clothes;
-which increased the demand of weavers;
-which increased the weavers;
-which decreased the skill quality
-which increased competition;
-which increased the complexity of the cloth pattern designs;
-which lead to hard paper cards with holes so when the loom strings were moved, some would move and some wouldn't (making the designs);
-which eventually lead to computer punch-cards.

or some such.

WTH was the name of that show? I wanna pirate it.
Did I say pirate? I meant watch it on YouTube or buy the series from Amazon or something, not pirate! I would nevah!


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naturalplastic
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11 Nov 2013, 6:46 pm

That sounds like a great little series on PBS, narrated by an on camera British guy, called "Connections" on PBS in the late 80's/early 90's.

Each installment took a different invention and show how its evolution went through unlikely zigzaggy paths like what you're saying.



1401b
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11 Nov 2013, 7:06 pm

Yeah! That sounds right. PBS was one of the other few channels I watched in my TV dayz.
Right on! thanks so much, you rock!


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(14.01.b) cogito ergo sum confusus