"Hacker" Films

[finlay666]

Need I point out the general inaccuracies in films, like in terminal velocity what would be a 90 second freefall lasting 5 minutes

And isn't OSX a *nix OS ?

Oh, and in Die Hard 4.....Everyone knows silent bob can't hack, or talk that much so it's obv a fake

[MaddAussie]

its called artistic license I'm afraid all in the name of drama, still gets on my goat tho

[Fraz]

This applies to any film/program with a specialist theme. I know doctors who go berserk over House, because the spend and hour every episode blatantly failing to diagnose the obvious.

I on the other hand know nothing about medicine, and consequently think House is pretty good. So I guess it works both ways.

[ACiD303]

The Net with Sandra Bullock

[SiM]

This applies to any film/program with a specialist theme. I know doctors who go berserk over House, because the spend and hour every episode blatantly failing to diagnose the obvious.

I on the other hand know nothing about medicine, and consequently think House is pretty good. So I guess it works both ways.

I know very little about medicine, but I know what they are say in House is utter garbage most of the time. They always select diseases from the same set to try out first before they get the right one lol.
Its still an enjoyable show though

Numb3rs is similar (anyone seen it?), they use maths to solve crime... Now, I am maths student and the "maths" in numb3rs is utter garbage... but I actually find it funny because of that!!!

[nichomach]

The best bit of computer inaccuracy I've seen on TV/film was one of the first few episodes of season 5 of 24.
A machine Jack Bauer is at has an IP address with the first octet of 269, which isn't an 8 bit number - and I don't think the writers put it in as an IPv6 address!

Errr...that's actually deliberate; they never use realistic IP addresses, same reason that all phone numbers in American movies and TV shows start with 555. This post has been an Alan Smithee production...

[JIM_BOB7813]

The last bit of plausible hacker action was in Battle Royale. It was just scrolling C code. I can't remember if it had trademark beeping or not.

[Rosaline]

Let's face it, real hacking makes for terrible screentime, and makes no sense to those who don't really hack. The same thing applies to almost all specialist skills in TV and films. Whilst medical dramas tend to get terminology correct often now, the entire process is generally bodged for the sake of better television (diagnosing a complex illness within a week? hahaha...), and the same goes for police, military and engineering work.

What we can expect, though, is for shows to capture the 'feel' of the process, and the people side of things. Hackers and the unrelated Hackers 2 both perfectly captured the feel, in my opinion.

Of course, thanks to Hackers I now don't believe that it's proper hacking unless you're in a spinning phone booth at night with electronia playing

[staffsMike]

(diagnosing a complex illness within a week? hahaha...)

Are you... dissing... house?

[dave87]

Are you... dissing... house?

Yes.

I fail to see how the same formula can work over and over again.

House gets patient.
House moans.
House's numpties go all round the houses.
House has the answer.
House doesn't tell them the answer.
House moans.
House cures the patient.
House moans.

I mean come on? How long can that go on for?!?!?!?!

[Rosaline]

Are you... dissing... house?

House is no longer anywhere near as formulaic as it was during the first season, but even then I still loved it to bits (except for the depressing cop plot arc) I was quite surprised by how well the new fellows have worked out, and very much looking forward for it coming back!

But a dear friend of mine needed 10 months worth of examinations and experimentation before they finally got a diagnosis, and it has taken another 6 months to feel like noticeable improvement has been made via the treatment.

Sadly no one wants the truth so TV gives you false expectations

[staffsMike]

I havn't seen all of house but I really like it, he is a really good character.

Ok it's a bit samey I suppose but if it works for me.

[XA04]

I saw untraceable recently.. and I thought for a movie which has computer stuff in it.. it was pretty good, but there was some stuff in it which made me roll my eyes. Was quite funny how much they promoted Vista too.

[sim_uk84]

Independence Day is a good one. Jeff Goldblum creating a virus on his laptop that can take down an alien mothership lol. The aliens weren't too smart there, they must have been using Norton >.<

[Agent]

Errr...that's actually deliberate; they never use realistic IP addresses, same reason that all phone numbers in American movies and TV shows start with 555. This post has been an Alan Smithee production...

Yeah, just in case some kid sees an IP address in a film....and....ummm....pings it to death

Guess they have to cover their ass though!

[directhex]

the matrix sequels proved that a) freedom fighters use nmap, and b) futuristic computers of doom use old insecure versions of ssh