What are you too close to?

Computer interfaces! They all go "bleep-bleep", have HUGE fonts and all kinds of useless flashy stuff that does nothing! Like the exciting progress bar… "DOWNLOADING SECRET FILES… 16% COMPLETE" argh!! Bloop! Delete files? Yes/No.

And computer hackers! Real computer hacking does not look like that. "Sir, they have a firewall! We can't get through!"

I'm a software developer, but I can't imagine how anybody could not be annoyed by these.

Oh yeah, one more thing. The "we only use 10% of our brain" thing! Most recently seen in The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Apparently, sorcerers use the remaining 90% an that's why they can do magic. Yeah… I'm gonna cut my remaining 90% out, since it's not doing anything… oh, wait.

Requisite toolbar installation.

I swear to God if I installed all the toolbars I'm asked to, I wouldn't have any deskspace left.

Thick plastic bubble wrap that slashes your arteries when you're trying to open it.

I this this scene from Swordfish is my favorite hacking scene ever - Hugh Jackman Hacks Away at the Hydra Virus

The rest of the movie is pure crap from start to finish, but that scene is pure freakin LOL gold!

What about the virus they managed to upload in the slien spaceship in "Independence Day" ?

I realized this only much later, after someone had written in a forum how unlikely it would be that the technology of both would just be compatible.

Originally Posted by JemyM
No, subliminal messages do not exist

So you mean that Yoshi's Island was not trying to turn us all into commies?

with a degree in theology the Bible get's deliberately misquoted a lot by both liberals and conservatives so I end up biting my tongue a lot when I hear <random minister/forum member>, even when they have a degree themselves. but then, that's why I went and studied for myself.

Originally Posted by BillSeurer
Ah yes, the magic image enhancers. Always good for a groan.

Originally Posted by Menigal
Zoom in! Enhance! Rotate 180 degrees! Enhance photographer! Analyze DNA! Locate individual on Google Earth! I do love magic computers.

I saw a movie from around 1947 where they wired a photo from New York to Philadelphia at two newspaper outlets and they kept increasing the size of it until they saw a date on a picture. I wish I knew the name. This is the oldest example I've seen of this but I wouldn't be surprised if there were older short stories saying the same thing - ie. those faery pictures that AC Doyle believed in.

Similarly, how many ST:tNG was the problem solved by meaningless technobabble? They even coined the term in the scripts! I cringe watching that series.

been watching Point of Interest?

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
Pip: Are you aware that Lucas stole…

I find particular fascination reading scifi-tropes that can be traced back to Dune. The Jedi, Vulcans, and Aes Sedai are all based off the Bene Gesserit and Mentats for example. Herbert was quite open too that he rooted the story himself in the past - the worms being Dragons for example and the spice the treasure. Bene Gesseret = (Children of)Jesuits - based on two aunts of his who were nuns.

When I pointed out the obvious connection of Skynet in the Terminator to the Butlerian Jihad on WIkipedia it was erased in 30 seconds. Terminator fans in control of that page have some particular "allegory of the cave" ideas, but it was a lesson for me on what Wikipedia has become.

Originally Posted by Alrik Fassbauer
What about the virus they managed to upload in the slien spaceship in "Independence Day" ?

I realized this only much later, after someone had written in a forum how unlikely it would be that the technology of both would just be compatible.

really, you didn't catch that right away?

When I was in sales we had a sales rep from Apple come in and mention it as part of their product tie in. The least technical of our guys replied, "good thing that alien ship used a Unix based Operating System."

—

Finally, as a history buff I too see a lot of errors, particularly in documentaries.

Nearly anything Americans publish on the War of 1812 (not the Napoleonic wars but they are related - they are considered lumped in with the 7 Years War I believe) is completely, and utterly wrong.

Surprisingly, the American history teachers I've met agree that the US lost the war, though they will continue to insist it "Was against the British". Technically, they are right. Again, you will not find this statement of fact on Wikipedia except in very old archived versions of the article.

This also extends to Andrew Jackson, the most vile president in US history. Am I the only person I know who realizes that sticking his face on a $20 Treasury Note is extremely ironic?

(if I'm not careful, this topic will get moved to another forum )

Originally Posted by Fnord
So you mean that Yoshi's Island was not trying to turn us all into commies?

It's just not subliminal!

Wow, sounds like we have a lot of folks here who would love Velikovsky. And by that I mean "love to use him when they've swallowed some poison and need to get it out fast." Take some terrible biblical studies, mix in some even worse mythology, and use it to justify some of the most insane astronomy you'll ever see and you've got Worlds in Collision.

Yes, even worse astronomy than Space 1999.

Originally Posted by Lucky Day
really, you didn't catch that right away?

No. I was too young for that and not deep enough (or: not close enough) into computers, then.

I had a too close moment last night while watching Tony Robinson's (Baldrick from Blackadder) program on folklore, where he interviewed an "expert" who is notorious for just making things up instead of, you know, doing any research. It's my fault for watching it, though. It's not like I didn't see it coming.

While lots of computer science stuff or physics in movies is too close, there are some things I don't really mind. Take explosions in deep space for example. Everyone knows you can't hear anything out there due to lack of air, but well … imagine Star Wars without sound effects.

Originally Posted by dteowner
The "enhance image" thing appears to be universal.

Classic.

Originally Posted by Arhu
While lots of computer science stuff or physics in movies is too close, there are some things I don't really mind. Take explosions in deep space for example. Everyone knows you can't hear anything out there due to lack of air, but well … imagine Star Wars without sound effects.


Classic.

2001? the silent scenes except his breathing were amazing to me