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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?