Kitz ADSL Broadband Information
adsl spacer  
Support this site
Home Broadband ISPs Tech Routers Wiki Forum
 
     
   Compare ISP   Rate your ISP
   Glossary   Glossary
 
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Author Topic: Computers in Films and TV  (Read 2252 times)

sheddyian

  • Kitizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 1159
    • My Shed Blog
Computers in Films and TV
« on: May 02, 2015, 01:43:36 PM »

I expect you've often wondered "in which film can I see an ICL 2900 series computer system, was it realistically portrayed, and was it integral to the plot or storyline?"

Well, wonder no more.

This website will tell you!

http://www.starringthecomputer.com/

In fact, it will tell you about almost any computer you can think of.  There's a PDP11/05 in The Sweeney.


Ian

(The ICL 2900 series appears in the 1985 film, "Spies Like Us")
Logged

AArdvark

  • Kitizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 1008
Re: Computers in Films and TV
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2015, 08:15:17 PM »

Thank you.

It should be a laugh a minute as we all know Computers in films are a joke most of the time.
Even worse so many people have experience of computers yet film makers still go for the flashing lights with beeps & boops  ::)  ;D
When they do focus on the screen usually it is to watch someone furiously type at a 'Black & Green' screen and as if by magic it transforms a listing 'flying up' the screen into the latest CGI 'masterpiece' for the technology of the time of the films creation.

That is of course to ignore the alternative which is an 'infinite resolution' 3d UI which is projected from no-where and is operated by waving your arms about.
Strangely if you look closely, you are just moving files and folders about on a 3d transparent desktop which still functions much like Windows or OSX.
Storage never a worry either for security or capacity reasons and USB sticks are still used to copy data off systems with big oversized countdowns (with sliding completion bars) displayed to sync your dramatic music to.  ;D

I have been impressed havn't I !  :lol:
« Last Edit: May 02, 2015, 08:18:23 PM by AArdvark »
Logged

sevenlayermuddle

  • Helpful
  • Addicted Kitizen
  • *
  • Posts: 5369
Re: Computers in Films and TV
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2015, 09:21:03 PM »

Pretty sure I saw an ICL 2900 series in an episode of The Professionals, a few weeks ago.

Regarding flashing lights, beeps and boop, the nice thing about big mainframes of these days is they really did have flashing lights, and internal speakers that went beep and boop in response to certain CPU activities (program branches mainly, IIRC).

It was also possible to craft a piece of code that contrived to make the beeps and boops in a controlled fashion, such as a rendition of Colonel Bogey, just when senior managers were being given a tour of the machine room.   :)
Logged

loonylion

  • Reg Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 723
Re: Computers in Films and TV
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2015, 09:54:43 PM »

my smoothwall used to play the final countdown on the internal speaker back when it had one. :)
Logged

AArdvark

  • Kitizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 1008
Re: Computers in Films and TV
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2015, 11:37:06 PM »

Regarding flashing lights, beeps and boop, the nice thing about big mainframes of these days is they really did have flashing lights, and internal speakers that went beep and boop in response to certain CPU activities (program branches mainly, IIRC).
I know , but they never made the noises that are used in films.  ;)
Could you imagine a typical Machine Room if they did  ;D

My memories are mainly cold (lots of it) and the 'screaming' air con  ;D
Also being constantly on guard for the noise of the Halon 'going off', just in case :o ....... always know which direction the exit door is. ;D
Once had to work in the machine room for a week or two, on some Unix kit which the customer had decided to put in there.
None of it needed that level of Air Con, I suspect it was a quick answer to security. (Entry Door Keycodes in & out)
The mainframe people allowed the 'foreign' intruder in the machine room but refused any connectivity subject to on-going discussions
(AKA Internal Departmental Politics at the Customers site.  ;D)
I therefore had to work in the machine room while 'Discussions' progressed. (Happy Days  ;D ;D )

I know about using the servos on various kit to play music, which was very clever when it worked.
(Not sure it did the servos any good  :o ;D )

Logged

boost

  • Reg Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 768
Re: Computers in Films and TV
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2015, 12:00:35 AM »

Thank you.

It should be a laugh a minute as we all know Computers in films are a joke most of the time.
Even worse so many people have experience of computers yet film makers still go for the flashing lights with beeps & boops  ::)  ;D
When they do focus on the screen usually it is to watch someone furiously type at a 'Black & Green' screen and as if by magic it transforms a listing 'flying up' the screen into the latest CGI 'masterpiece' for the technology of the time of the films creation.

That is of course to ignore the alternative which is an 'infinite resolution' 3d UI which is projected from no-where and is operated by waving your arms about.
Strangely if you look closely, you are just moving files and folders about on a 3d transparent desktop which still functions much like Windows or OSX.
Storage never a worry either for security or capacity reasons and USB sticks are still used to copy data off systems with big oversized countdowns (with sliding completion bars) displayed to sync your dramatic music to.  ;D

I have been impressed havn't I !  :lol:

:D :D :D
Logged