Produced by the DEFA studio for documentary films, Die Schwelle examines the introduction of computer technology to East Germany. Focusing on one family whose everyday life is closely tied to the current and future possibilities of microelectronics, the difficulties of adapting to technological progress are portrayed. The father, a long-serving teacher, attends training courses so that he can keep up with the latest developments in computer science. Daughter Sabine learns computer applications as a part of her university programme in electronics. One son, Klaus-Peter, is involved with the automation of textile production, while the other son, Rolf-Dieter, works for the administration of the Rostock Port, which is now supported by computers.