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80’s horror and computers

M

Meow Mix

Chatte Féministe
Have you ever noticed that people had no idea what computers do in the 80’s? Somebody always talks to a computer by analyzing a piece of the monster or something and then the computer always extrapolates some percent probability of global annihilation. I’m always thinking “how, based on what? What went into this calculation?”

This happens in The Thing, Leviathan, uhhh. Alien I’m pretty sure. I know there are more.
 
lewisnotmiller

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
Meow Mix said:
Have you ever noticed that people had no idea what computers do in the 80’s? Somebody always talks to a computer by analyzing a piece of the monster or something and then the computer always extrapolates some percent probability of global annihilation. I’m always thinking “how, based on what? What went into this calculation?”

This happens in The Thing, Leviathan, uhhh. Alien I’m pretty sure. I know there are more.
Click to expand...

Heh...you're as bad as me. I always complain about the code snippets they show when doing stories about hackers on the news.
 
Brickjectivity

Brickjectivity

wind and rain touch not this brain
Staff member
Premium Member
There is also the fabled "Positronic brain" which resolves all obstacles to making a smart robot. Need a robot? You simply put a positronic brain into any old rolling carcass, and it becomes intelligent. Lots of shows and books have positronic brains in use, but nobody knows how to make one.
 
9-10ths_Penguin

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Meow Mix said:
Have you ever noticed that people had no idea what computers do in the 80’s? Somebody always talks to a computer by analyzing a piece of the monster or something and then the computer always extrapolates some percent probability of global annihilation. I’m always thinking “how, based on what? What went into this calculation?”

This happens in The Thing, Leviathan, uhhh. Alien I’m pretty sure. I know there are more.
Click to expand...
The absolute strangest for me is Superman 3.
 
Stevicus

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
ChristineM said:
Funny, first thing i thought of. 'Stupid tv drama, why not just pull the plug...' Psychic or what?
Click to expand...

Reminds me of this scene from Wargames.


General Beringer : Just unplug the goddamn thing! Jesus Christ!

McKittrick : That won't work, General. It would interpret a shutdown as the destruction of NORAD. The computers in the silos would carry out their last instructions. They'd launch.

 
Polymath257

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
Meow Mix said:
Have you ever noticed that people had no idea what computers do in the 80’s? Somebody always talks to a computer by analyzing a piece of the monster or something and then the computer always extrapolates some percent probability of global annihilation. I’m always thinking “how, based on what? What went into this calculation?”

This happens in The Thing, Leviathan, uhhh. Alien I’m pretty sure. I know there are more.
Click to expand...


I would say that by the 80's this was starting to decline because of the rise of personal computers.

The heyday for this trope was probably the late 60's and early 70's, when computers were room sized and still trusted. :)
 
Revoltingest

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Polymath257 said:
I would say that by the 80's this was starting to decline because of the rise of personal computers.

The heyday for this trope was probably the late 60's and early 70's, when computers were room sized and still trusted. :)
Click to expand...
Distrust in computers was rising....
1968: "2001, A Space Odessy"
1970: "Colosus, The Forbin Project"
1967-69: Star Trek
 
Heyo

Heyo

Veteran Member
Meow Mix said:
Have you ever noticed that people had no idea what computers do in the 80’s? Somebody always talks to a computer by analyzing a piece of the monster or something and then the computer always extrapolates some percent probability of global annihilation. I’m always thinking “how, based on what? What went into this calculation?”

This happens in The Thing, Leviathan, uhhh. Alien I’m pretty sure. I know there are more.
Click to expand...
The '80s were when I studied CS. Depictions of computers and programmers were comedy gold to me.
 
Stevicus

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Revoltingest said:
Distrust in computers was rising....
1968: "2001, A Space Odessy"
1970: "Colosus, The Forbin Project"
1967-69: Star Trek
Click to expand...

Interesting thing about HAL (and what seems to be a recurring theme in many shows and movies featuring computers) is in some of the dialogue here:


  • Interviewer : HAL, you have an enormous responsibility on this mission, in many ways perhaps the greatest responsibility of any single mission element. You're the brain, and central nervous system of the ship, and your responsibilities include watching over the men in hibernation. Does this ever cause you any lack of confidence?

    HAL : Let me put it this way, Mr. Amor. The 9000 series is the most reliable computer ever made. No 9000 computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error.

Later on, HAL insisted it was a human error, as humans are the ones always making mistakes, not the computers.

It was like that in Wargames, where McKittrick thought their system was so perfect and foolproof.

The arrogance of man and machine has been a recurring theme in Hollywood and in fiction overall.
 
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