Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!sri-unix!guyton@rand-unix From: guyton%rand-unix@sri-unix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: WarGames: A minority opinion Message-ID: <2621@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Tue, 28-Jun-83 05:12:00 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.2621 Posted: Tue Jun 28 05:12:00 1983 Date-Received: Fri, 1-Jul-83 05:39:45 EDT Lines: 51 Aw come on people, it's just a movie! There were some flaws, but not so many or so damaging as to destroy my enjoyment of the film. I'd been trying to hold back, but the last digest full of anti-Wargames msgs was just too much to let go by ... *** Flame On *** First forget the realism/non-realism stuff. Much more un-realistic films have been released and gotten rave reviews from the folks on sf-lovers. This is a science- fiction/fantasy/monster film, realism isn't the issue here. Forget also for a moment the moronic producers who will say anything they can think of to try and get more people to see the film, and the know-less-than-nothing reviewers who think the film is an accurate reflection of today's computer technology. The real issue is the negative message of the film. I do not agree with Lauren that the message is one of "Computers are Bad", but think instead that it is one of "think twice before giving up control to a computer." And ya know, I agree with that message! I've been hacking with computers for over 14 years, and I'd prefer everyone be a little suspicious of computer systems. Control once granted to a computer system is not very likely to be returned, so you might as well be nice and careful about how fast you give up control. Anything else falls under the category of blind faith in high tech. I believe that's where I differ most from the people who don't like this little film. I think the computer industry can and should be submitted to this type of attack, for if it can't refute it then something is very wrong. The nameless masses rising in arms against the monster computer has me worried not at all. But computer illiterates blindly promoting the latest computer systems (in the hope of making themselves look like heros) has me worried quite a bit. *** Flame Off *** Cheers, -- Jim Guyton p.s. It is now 2 AM, do you know what *your* computer is doing?