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From: lauren%LBL-CSAM@vortex.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: "Wargames"
Message-ID: <2215@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 22-Jun-83 02:18:21 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.2215
Posted: Wed Jun 22 02:18:21 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 18-Jun-83 18:12:08 EDT
Lines: 93

From:  Lauren Weinstein 

In my humble opinion, the film "Wargames" is a good example of the
sort of "pseudo-technical" crap that gives people unrealistically
negative views of computers and the people who work with them.

Without giving away too many plot details (if anybody really cares), 
the basic "gimmick" in the movie is stolen directly from "Colossus:
The Forbin Project", with the addition of a generic computer
"whiz kid".  Anybody with slightly more than a passing familiarity with
computers and/or the manner in which the U.S. missile systems are
controlled should find the film to be totally ridiculous.  Basically,
the film throws together many concepts which might seem "plausible"
to the average person but which in reality are just plain unrealistic.

A few of these "concepts" include:

1) A Super-Computer controlling all missiles, which cannot be
   reasonably bypassed, and was programmed by one guy.  This person
   is no longer around, nobody else understands the software,
   but it's still being used anyway.  Maybe this is the case for
   some of our mail systems (?!?) but not for military systems!

2) Dialup lines into classified computer networks.  Non-crypto data
   communications in general classified use.  Simply untrue.
   
3) Door crypto-locks that look like Touch-Tone pads, and actually
   emit audible touch tones (which can be played back to open the door!)
   Gimme a break!

4) Payphones whose microphones can be easily unscrewed and which
   can be easily "ground-started".  (Suuuuuure...  This isn't
   1966 you know!)

This by no means completes the list.  I won't even mention the
typical silliness of data rates much faster than possible with
the modems in use.  (Oooops!  I mentioned it!)  I will avoid
qualifying the incredibly inane ending of this film with any sort
of mention at all, other than to say that it is *indeed* stupid and
totally ridiculous.

As you can see, what we have here are a bunch of concepts that may
"seem" plausible to many people.  Everybody has heard of high school
students breaking into computers -- so why not a classified computer network
that controls missiles?  The fact that no computers are in "control"
of missiles in that manner, and the fact that classified systems of
that sort do not have dialup lines and make heavy use of encrypted
communications, has been conveniently overlooked for the sake
of dramatic effect.  Likewise, people have "heard" that there are
(were) "simple" ways to defeat payphones, and everyone KNOWS that
pushbutton pads always emit tones, right?  So security keypads have
to work the same way, right?  Poppycock!

If films like "Wargames" didn't aspire to be carrying a deep
and meaningful "message", they might be enjoyable in much the
same manner as "Little Shop of Horrors".  But "Wargames" is so
blatant in its warping of technology for the sake of "impact"
that it cannot be excused.  Not only that, but interviews with
some of the film's top production staff have made it clear that they
"feel" they were presenting only a *slightly* exaggerated scenerio.
At least one wire service writer went out interviewing NORAD officials
to try find out if "Wargames" was realistic.  When this writer
confronted the "Wargames" staff with the NORAD discussion of 
non-remote-access facilities, encrypted communications, and the like,
the "Wargames" people simply responded with (something to the effect
of): "We all know that no computer is completely secure, so something
like this could happen"; a statement which is very misleading for the
case in question.

"Wargames" is a transparent attempt to "cash in" on pseudo-science
while promoting an anti-war message.  I have no gripes (in general) with 
films which desire to present a meaningful message, nor do I necessarily
disagree with the concept that the current nuclear missile 
"arrangement" between the superpowers is terribly dangerous
and in need of change.  However, in my opinion, it would have been 
possible to create a film that managed to get such a message
across (perhaps by portraying some of the "real" dangers in the
system, such as sensor failure combined with human error) rather
than create a totally unrealistic situation (presumably
because it held more "drama" and would be more easily "understood"
by the vast masses without any significant explanation).

"Wargames" is essentially an exploitation film, which, to quote
the priest in "Harold and Maude", "... makes me want ... to vomit."

--Lauren--

P.S.  I've been fuming about this movie ever since a friend of mine
came back from a very early screening over at the MGM lot and 
provided me with the first details.  Now that I've gotten these
complaints off my chest, I feel much better.  Thanks all!

--LW--