Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!sri-unix!Laws@SRI-AI.ARPA From: Laws@SRI-AI.ARPA@sri-unix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.ai Subject: Re: A.I. in Sci Fi Message-ID: <3606@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Thu, 28-Jul-83 15:24:12 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.3606 Posted: Thu Jul 28 15:24:12 1983 Date-Received: Mon, 1-Aug-83 08:53:49 EDT Lines: 37 From: Ken LawsGripes? You mean things like: Hawaii 5-0 always using the card sorter as the epitome of computer readout? Stepford Wives portraying androids so realistic that no one notices, and executives/scientists who prefer them to true companions? Demon Seed showing impregnation of a woman by a computer? Telephon slowing down CRT typeout to 150 baud and adding Teletype sound effects? War Games similarly slowing the CRT typeout; using natural language communication; using voice synthesis on a home terminal connected by modem to a military computer; postulating that our national defense is in the hands of unsecured computers with dial-up ports, faulty password systems, games directories, and big panels of flashing lights; and portraying scientists and generals as nerds? Star Wars suggesting that computerized targeting mechanisms will always be inferior to human reflexes? Tron's premise that a computer can suck you into its internal conceptual world? Star Trek and War Games preaching that any computer can be disabled, even melted, by a logical contradiction or an unsatisfiable task? Nah, I don't mind. -- Ken Laws