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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