BS: Computers in the Visual Media

Subject: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 07:17 AM

Last night I watched a 'made-for-TV' show about impossibly glamorous 20-30 something American meteorologists who were fiddling about with tropical storms for some reason (not sure what - their personal lives/problems kept getting in the way of the plot). Some way into the show a 'cute babe' computer whizz was introduced who was soon seen frantically typing away at a computer keyboard, doing something to a spectacular 3D display.

Later in the evening I watched a Hollywood movie, starring John Travolta as a wicked baddie. At some point he lures a handsome, but dishevelled computer hacker to his lair and forces him to break codes, manufacture various bits of malware etc. There were extended scenes of the hacker frantically typing away at a computer keyboard (at one point whilst being subjected to a combination of novel inducements).

The thing that I want to know is, what are these fictional computer whizzes typing? As most people in the US/UK are fairly familiar with computers these days - surely everyone knows that you don't sit there typing like mad (unless you're contributing to Mudcat, that is!) - so why the pretence?

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: mack/misophist
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 10:05 AM

Holywood isn't known for accuracy. Programming isn't very visual. Put 'em together and...

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: Amos
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 12:56 PM

Shimrod, it is evident you haven't spent much time with a command-line interface. Modern retail systems are all laden with whizz-bang point-and-click, drag-and-drop, iconically endowed graphic interfaces. These are very expensive in terms of processing cycles.

Most hardcore hackers are very familiar with complex text constructions of the UNIX command line interface, which allows a knowledgeable user to translate complex computer actions into lines of very dense text instructions. Most of this is done in a simple ASCII window, and a lot of fast typing is typical. But you have to know what to type.

Prior to 1984, all computers (well, almost all) were operated through a command line interface. If you wanted to copy a file, in these pre-Mouse days, you typed in "A:myfile.txt pip B:copymyfile.txt" (in a CPM operating system) or something similar. You could move files, dump strings into a computers display window, log in to remote computers (rlogin Farnet/farcomputer/hisdisk/) transfer files across networks, and so on. The full range of capabilities in a UNIX text-based command set is quite awesome. But the composition of the commands would make a mortal man's head spin.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 01:28 PM

The "expert" could have been a real Mickeysoft professional. I recently ran into a KB article on how to remove a particularly nasty virus that gave a list of commands to be typed at cmd prompt:

"type
ren thisfile.wht thisfile.bad
ren thatfile.brf thatfile.bad
...."

with a list of 84 files to be renamed (ren).

And he remembered to note "hit enter at the end of each line."

The "expert" apparently didn't think to suggest one could just copy and paste his list, save as text, change the file extension from .txt to .bat and type the name of the batch file ONCE to do it all? - with much less chance of an error.

There were four or five other slightly shorter lists of repetitive commands in the same "instruction" that could have been similarly batched with a very few keystrokes - but then he/she's the expert so who am I to argue.

Of course, the writer may have just subscribed to the common Mickeysoft belief that all users of their software are idiots who wouldn't be able to understand doing it the easy way.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: mack/misophist
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 03:36 PM

John is correct, as usual. But the few programmers I know seldsm type more than 4 or 5 lines befor they have to stop and remember an option or work out exactly how the shell is going to treat a command. Not very visual. Like my chemist bro-in-law who's working hardest when staring off into space.

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: Amos
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 04:02 PM

When I had to work in Unix, I always kept a psare window open to the man pages so I could get my contexts straight rapidly.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 05:12 PM

"Shimrod, it is evident you haven't spent much time with a command-line interface."

Amos, it's evident that I haven't!

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 05:41 AM

Watch 'Madagascar' - the penguin does it just right. He jumps up and down on the keyboard until he accidentaly hits the correct sequence!

Sometimes, with my new 15 letter passphrase and 9 digit PId number, I feel like that penguin.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 10:58 AM

They do that on "Crossing Jordan," too, with lots of graphs, blinky lights and graphics galore. AND, it always comes up with some absolutely essential to them solving the crime. It's way too convenient to have any semblance to what it is really like in a medical examiner's morgue!

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 06:45 AM

I have heard that the real professionals are getting upset with TV shows like 'Numbers' etc because in the 'Real World' things just don't happen so fast and neat...

and every wanker 'know-it-all' who's ever watched such shows causes them real pain in real cases "get a DNA test!" (rain washed it away!!!) etc...

:-)

And in movies like 'Hackers' - real techies are often heard to rant - "Oh, he's logged into an IBM mumble mumble using a VT52 and that terminal doesn't do colour"... or similar geek stuff...

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: Grab
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 10:40 AM

Why? Because the reality is deathly boring for a spectator.

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: Amos
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 03:31 PM

It seems our modern school of dramaturgy has developed a "machina ex machina" device!


A

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 25 Apr 07 - 10:47 AM

... ... who's working hardest when staring off into space.

That's one of the really hardest jobs there is.

BTDY.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: Amos
Date: 25 Apr 07 - 11:00 AM

John:

What's "BTDY" mean?

A

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 03:35 AM

Sorry. It doesn't mean anything.

Should have been BTDT

Been There Done That

I was thinking about "BTDTBT," but I figured if you ain't been there you might not have Bought the T-shirt.

I should not try to think while typing, and I'll try to remember not to do that any more.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 07:27 PM

Remember what?

:-P

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 27 Apr 07 - 04:06 AM

It's really amazing the way the 'cat works.

An expression of remorse over inappropriate posting methodology elicits an immediate response from the MASTER of typing while not thinking.

I am reassured that I may eventually be capable of learning from the master, and of correcting my former bad practices.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 27 Apr 07 - 07:51 AM

Eh what?

Subject: RE: BS: Computers in the Visual Media
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 27 Apr 07 - 09:30 AM

BDDTBTTATMSOTR!!!!!

Robin
M.A. (T.W.)