The legacy of BBC Micro

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The Computer Literacy Project (CLP) had the grand ambition to change the culture of computing in Britain’s homes. The project received significant high-level support within the BBC and across government. This innovative backing by a broadcaster working with an entrepreneurial company - Acorn - led to the creation of an open technology, supported by a range of materials (programmes, courses, publications and software) delivered across a multitude of channels. The BBC Micro was complemented by activities that increased demand for computing generally, by promoting cultural shifts in attitudes towards computing and delivering learning into homes and schools.

This report also explores whether the CLP had any lasting legacy on the culture of computing in Britain. Did more people take up programming and become more confident around computers as a result of the project? Or would this have happened anyway, given the abundance of cheap home machines and an excitement in the perceived future of computing over the 1980s? Can we see any economic impact from the project, in the shape of new leading companies in digital sectors such as software, hardware or video games?

Published
May 2012

Author
Tilly Blyth