Join Tom and Scott as they discuss this: A couple of weeks ago we covered the Top 10 biggest tech flaws in films, this week we’ve got a kind of sequel (in the best Hollywood tradition), and we’re looking at the Top 10 myths has about how computers work in the real world. Now we understand the need to ‘sex up’ computers, as they’d otherwise be incredibly boring, but must these stereotypes persist?
And, we get a great reader submission to boot!
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They forgot one. All electronic devices, whether network connected or not, can be hacked and all firewalls can be penetrated.
I love the shows where bad guys are trying to break into a computer network and the good “tech” is trying to keep them out. One of the latest episode of Smallville comes to mind. Chloe kept throwing up “firewalls” to keep the bad guys from stealing their files and they keep getting penetrated. She destroyed the servers in order to prevent the files from being stolen REMOTELY!! I kept yelling, “Just unplug the network cable!” Problem solved.
One of the biggest ones that drive me crazy is easy to guess passwords.. And when you guess the password, what you’re looking for instantly pops up.. Batman & Robin had this where Batgirl “hacks” Alfred’s computer by guess a superobvious password and right when she hits enter the batman logo just starts flying all over the place..
I hate to attack it, but Watchmen is guilty.. Veidt is the smartest man in the world, but for some reason, he doesn’t have an even moderately complex password on his computer. He puts something that’s easy to guess, especially if you know Veidt, or bother to look at the books on his desk… Really? I mean the smartest man in the world can’t think of and memorize a more complex password.
The worst use of computers ever was Eagle Eye. Watch it and you will want to rip your eyes out.
Marbel madness had the cooless music, guess if i can purchase somewhere, or if i can turning into a ring tone that would be awsome
Duncan Robson made a _sweet_ video called “Let’s Enhance” — it’s a collection of a bunch of TV and movie clips of people enhancing photos using computers. You’ve probably already seen it, but in case you haven’t:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxq9yj2pVWk
It. Is. Awesome.
Independence Day takes the cake. Uploading a virus to an alien ship? Really?
As an aside, where can I find that Marble Madness tune?
I used to have Marble Madness on my Sega Megadrive. Not thought of that game for years – would be all over it for ipod touch.
Re: Apple, obviously anyone will have noticed that Macs are in pretty much every film, but, contrary to what you say, I don’t believe Apple pays fees to get their computers. They make the products available if the film companies want them, and of course they do because Apple = cool and Dell = crap!! But I believe no money as such changes hands.
The thing that drives me mad in TV, but I love it though, is how powerful Jack Bauer’s “PDA” is – instant uploads, sectional maps of buildings, GPS tracking, the ability to send recovered files back to CTU instantly.
Am I the only one who finds geeky Chloe strangely alluring? I tell you, if you could be there when that particular pent up well bursts, it would be something!!