SKYPE — THE EARLY YEARS: “Supposing that every house were linked to the communication network via a wideband coaxial cable,” asks a forward-thinking member of the Post Office Research Station in Dollis Hill, London at the beginning of this 1969 short film titled, “Telecommunication Services for the 1990s.” Don’t miss the scene about 4:30 into the clip, which forecasts one rather unique — now quaintly retro — method of electronically transmitting and copying documents.

But then, the whole thing is rather quaintly retro. Given the late 1960s look at what would have been the next 25 years or so, I kept waiting for Edward Straker to roar by in his gull-winged car on the way to SHADO HQ.