Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!ariel!hou5f!orion!houca!hogpc!houxm!ihnp4!ihnp1!dhp From: dhp@ihnp1.UUCP Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: Wargames Message-ID: <191@ihnp1.UUCP> Date: Wed, 29-Jun-83 15:36:17 EDT Article-I.D.: ihnp1.191 Posted: Wed Jun 29 15:36:17 1983 Date-Received: Fri, 1-Jul-83 06:18:40 EDT Lines: 26 I think we have become oversensitive to the "computers are bad" scenario in the mass media today. Wargames was pretty tame in the computer paranoia department compared to some films of the past (think about "Colossus: The Forbin Project", or "Demon Seed", for instance). Things are getting better. In Wargames, it was human fallibility, on the part of Dr. Falkin, rather than the "naturally evil intelligence" of the machine which caused the problems. As for the portrayal of computer security, it can be put down to cinematic license. The fact that any truly computer-literate individual could think of 42 different ways of violating the security system presented is irrelevant. It was intentionally simplified for the mosting computer- illiterate people watching the film, not for us. What is an obvious hole to us is an EXTREMELY subtle nuance to those not of the priesthood. And finally, why all of the controversy over the attack on the pay phone? The point is that if you were out in the hinterlands, and it was an old style pay phone, and you could get the mouthpiece off, you don't need the dime. The fact that such phones don't exist ANY MORE in the area of the mountain is again irrelevant. -- Douglas H. Price Analysts International Corp. at BTL IH Naperville, IL ..!ihnp4!ihnp1!dhp (312) 979-6431