July 7, 2026
Revenge of the Nerd Tapes
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs Video Lectures
Old coding lectures are suddenly must-watch TV, and fans say the book can’t compete
TLDR: Twenty professionally filmed 1986 lectures for the famous SICP programming course are freely available again, giving new learners an easier way into a famously difficult subject. Commenters are obsessed, with some calling the videos the best version of the course and even suggesting the book should play second fiddle.
A set of 20 video lectures from 1986 about the legendary programming course Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs just resurfaced as catnip for the internet’s most intense learners — and the comments are acting like a beloved cult show got a surprise re-release. The lectures, taught by Hal Abelson and Gerald Jay Sussman for Hewlett-Packard employees, are now available under a Creative Commons license, which only adds to the feeling that the nerd vault has been flung open for the public.
But the real fireworks are in the reactions. One fan practically crowned them the “definitive” way to experience the material, raving that the “Hal and Gerry show” is at its peak here and that the production quality still looks shockingly good for something filmed in the Reagan era. Another commenter dropped the hottest anti-book take in the thread: they tried learning from the book alone and basically declared the lectures the superior route, with the book demoted to backup material. That’s not exactly a civil little footnote — that’s a full-on learning-style showdown.
There’s also some wholesome internet energy: one person says “Watch the first one and you’ll be hooked,” which is about as close as this crowd gets to a Netflix binge warning. Others chime in with practical tips, like using Racket if you want to follow along. The vibe? Equal parts classroom nostalgia, guru worship, and stunned delight that a nearly 40-year-old lecture series is somehow still eating modern educational content alive.
Key Points
- •The article describes twenty video lectures by Hal Abelson and Gerald Jay Sussman as a complete presentation of the course.
- •The course was delivered in July 1986 for Hewlett-Packard employees.
- •The lectures were professionally produced by Hewlett-Packard Television.
- •The videos are available under a Creative Commons license compatible with commercial use.
- •The lectures follow the 1985 first edition of Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, but are still said to be useful for students using the 1996 second edition because the course themes and order remain unchanged.