This color promotional film for IBM shows how the Series/1 computer can be used to change how a pharmacy or apothecary operates. There is no copyright at the beginning or end of the film so the date of the production remains unclear, late 1970s, early 1980s. RX: Series 1 title card (:07-:21) shots of trees and a pharmacy building (:22-:41). Our narrator begins. The Stabler/Leadbeater shop in Alexandria, VA, from which Mrs. Washington ordered things, shots of its interior, very rustic looking (:41-1:14) Pills, pill bottles, machine parts, working parts and then shots of finished pharmaceuticals on store shelves, then workers using an IBM series 1 computer (1:15-1:50). Royer Pharmacy in Ephrata, PA. Pills are counted in the pharmacy, closeups of the way you get the pills ready and bottle them as part of a prescription, comments by Judith Lauer King and educator/pharmacy consultant. Shots of her talking. Computer keys being punched (1:51-3:04) King continues to expound upon the benefits or a computer (3:05-3:30) Person enters a pharmacy, Scottsville, KY. The owner Larry Stoval talks to his customer about her needs. The customer hands him 2 bottles to be refilled and he uses his computer to know exactly what is needed. More information on how good the computer can be. Shots of printing prescription information. The owner then speaks to the viewer explaining what he did and how quickly. He breaks down what he did. Shots of his fingers punching keys, computer screens. Label prints (3:30-6:03) Fingers punch computer keys. Pharmacist talks with boys, boy has a cold, mother looks inquisitive (6:03-7:05).
Closeups of the IBM series 1 computer, screens. Prints labels. Third party billions id discussed. Long take of a pharmacist at work, customer waiting. Stoval speaks again about how good and efficient a computer is (7:05-9:36) Stabler/Leadbeater shop in Alexandria, VA shown again, its interior. Followed by exterior shots
(9:37-10:11). IBM end title card (10:12-10:27).
The IBM Series/1 is a 16-bit minicomputer, introduced in 1976, that in many respects competed with other minicomputers of the time, such as the PDP-11 from Digital Equipment Corporation and similar offerings from Data General and HP. The Series/1 was typically used to control and operate external electro-mechanical components while also allowing for primitive data storage and handling.
Although the Series/1 uses EBCDIC character encoding internally and locally attached EBCDIC terminals, ASCII based remote terminals and devices could be attached via an I/O card with a RS-232 interface to be more compatible with competing minicomputers. IBM’s own 3101 and 3151 ASCII display terminals are examples of this. This was a departure from IBM mainframes that used 3270 terminals and coaxial attachment and even preceded the IBM PC.
Series/1 computers were withdrawn from marketing in 1988 at or near the introduction of the AS/400 line. A US government asset report dated May 2016 revealed that an IBM Series/1 was still being used as part of the country’s nuclear command and control systems.
We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: “01:00:12:00 — President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.”
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
