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Path: utzoo!linus!wivax!decvax!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!sri-unix!sorceror@LL.ARPA
From: sorceror@LL.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Comments on WARGAMES
Message-ID: <2513@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 24-Jun-83 10:28:21 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.2513
Posted: Fri Jun 24 10:28:21 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 27-Jun-83 02:44:04 EDT
Lines: 38

Message-ID: 
    
 
     Lauren's flaming over WARGAMES very accurately echoes my own reactions.
Thank you, Lauren.
 
***** FLAME ON *****
 
     I would add that this film is genuinely pernicious, because its unrealistic
portrayal of electronic automation facilitates a message which encourages the
uninformed public's fear and loathing of this technology. The opening vignettes
make it clear that WARGAMES intends to deal with the topic of replacing human
agents with a computer controlled system. The plot developments, aided and
abetted by the film's distorted concepts of computer systems technology, imply
that such systems are disastrously unreliable. The issue of human fallibility,
which led to the implementation of the WOPR, is conveniently ignored, after the
first five minutes. The film attempts to distract the viewer from this fallacy
of selected evidence, by raising the prospect of nuclear holocaust and evoking
hysteria about the anticipated consequences. It reinforces its judgment about
"man vs. machine" by blaming the computer and its affiliated personnel for this
state of agitation. This sort of emotional manipulation is a most dishonest and
improper technique of argument, which should be recognized and deplored. Despite
the strength of its purely dramatic elements, I found this film objectionable,
because of this sleazy Luddite pandering.
 
***** FLAME OFF *****
 
                         Enjoy,
 
                               Karl Heinemann
                               (SORCEROR at LL)
 
P.S. Just this morning, I heard a radio ad for WARGAMES, where a person
     leaving the theater says "This is the most important movie of the
     year". This reaction exemplifies my misgivings about the film, that
     people will see it as a serious argument against implementation
     of computer control technology, including AI. AAAAAAAAARRRRRGGH !!