rene.umcp-cs%UDel-Relay@sri-unix.UUCP (06/28/83)
From: Rene Steiner <rene.umcp-cs@UDel-Relay> 1) Speaking of odd ways of portraying computers, has anyone seen 'Telefon'? It was pretty interesting, about 'leftovers' from the cold war with Russia (people hypnotically convinced they were American citizens, but they could be 'set off' with a few lines of poetry to go blow up military targets) being triggered by an escaped Stalinist (after a purge). Anyway, the CIA or somebody is trying to figure out why all these no-longer useful military targets are being blown up by Joe Average American, using nice CRT's that chug along at about 110 baud and sound like teletypes. Well, it was sort of cute when they suggested replacing the computer with this one amazing woman who worked with them. She of course said, 'Shhh... not in the computer room - they're very sensitive!'. 2) Blasters - how do they get those bolts of energy to go so slow? I mean, the light just CRAWLS along in a little lump ... thick air, maybe? 3) About computers not echoing passwords ... HAH! No INTELLIGENT computer does (excuse me, intelligently built), but here at the U. of Maryland the computers the students use (IBM 370 and UNIVAC 1100/82) do echo the password as you type it in. A few old terminals don't even write over it. This is a real problem in a room with lots of people around, close enough to look over your shoulder. Well, that's what you get for using half-duplex machines. *sigh* 4) Do Captain Crunch wistles work on phones anymore? just babbling, - rene