Tech
Weekly Roundup 11.3.23
I’m starting/restarting a thing here on the blog. What is this thing, you may ask? Well, glad you asked. I’m calling it the ‘Weekly Roundup’ and will be items of interest and/or links I found interesting during the week or continue to find interesting or useful on a regular or semi-regular basis.
I won’t be talking much about or linking to anything to do with the current situation in the middle East or what’s going on in the world or politics or anything too serious. This is more of a distraction exercise that hopefully will help you find something to occupy your time and suppress the existential dread (at least for a few minutes).
Damn, that was a lot of words. Confused? Just go with it.
Here’s some of those links or interesting bits now:
I continue to be interested in, learn from and enjoy the Scriptnotes podcast with John August and Craig Mazin.
I’m also a fan of Marc Maron and his WTF podcast. He gets some great guests and is an excellent interviewer.
I’m reading a book about Python by Al Sweigert called Automate the Boring Stuff With Python. I’m learning a lot.
I’m also reading Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Loved the show on HBO (Remember HBO? Good times) and now I’m loving the book. I intend to read all her novels after this one.
Next on my reading list, though, is Black River Orchard, the latest from author Chuck Wendig.
I recently picked up an Apple Watch Ultra2. It’s chunky and a love it. No, I didn’t really need a chunky Apple watch. I just wanted a new watch and it seemed like the coolest one. Also, it’s an early combo birthday/Xmas present from H. She’s very generous. I’m very lucky.
And yes, I know I’m always talking about how much I love and still use analog things. That’s still true. Don’t believe me? Check out my Instagram.
I’m also a nerd and this Ultra2 is pretty damn nerdy. So, there you go. Did I mention it’s chunky? It’s also made of titanium. That’s pretty cool.
Until next time. Be kind to each other.
Image: Vincent Chong / Subterranean Press
New Home, Same Stuff
Hello to all of you who follow this blog. I do appreciate you. Just wanted to take a minute to let you know I’ve left Media Temple and moved my whole operation to new hosting.
Why did I do this? Well, one big reason and a few smaller ones. The big one is Media Temple was purchased by Go Daddy. I don’t like Go Daddy. Never have, never will. So, that’s a big “No” for me.
The smaller reasons have to do with use cases, cost and a bunch of other stuff I won’t bother to bore you with. Just know I didn’t make the decision lightly. It’s kinda a pain to move things, if I’m being honest. I wish I didn’t have to do it, but here we are.
So where did I move? I went to a hosting provider called Site Ground based on recommendations from several people, my own research, and more. I’m giving them the chance to keep my business. I hope I made the right choice. I think I did.
I guess we’ll see.
Cheers, all. Be kind to each other.
Note: No, I don’t know who those people in the photo are. I just grabbed this pic from a stock photo source. They look happy, though. That’s nice.
Further Updates for 2021
So far, I’m enjoying 2021 much more than 2020. Sure, this new year isn’t without its share of issues. But things are still looking up and still moving in the right direction . . . in my humble opinion at least.
Which brings me to the update promised in the title of this post. Here goes: we’ve started posting new content at The Flickcast. Not just podcasts, mind you, other content too. Fun!
Starting to post content again serves several purposes, not the least of which is getting me into the habit of writing every day. That’s a good thing.
Plus, who knows, maybe some people will go to the site and it will generate a few bucks of income? It could happen. It’s happened before. We have pretty small overhead so almost anything would be good.
That said, if you feel so inclined, head over and read some articles and maybe click on one of the ads? I’d appreciate it.
Speaking of websites, there’s another one you should check out for sure: Hapa Grey. I’m probably biased (I am) but it’s one of my favorites. If you love bargains and deals and knowing about the latest trends, Hapa Grey is the site for you. Check it out.
Other than that, I’m playing a fuckton of D&D (in private and on Twitch), we’re not frozen anymore, don’t have to boil our water, my son hates doing school online, it’s basically been a year since we started quarantine and I almost got my first dose of the COVID vaccine.
Maybe I’ll get it tomorrow? Maybe. Hope you get yours soon too.
Until then, stay safe, wear your mask, social distance and try not to be a dick.
Image: Adobe Stock
Podcasting Setup Update and the Shure SM7B
As I mentioned in a previous post outlining my new, improved podcasting setup I’ve been waiting patiently for the Shure SM7B microphone to arrive. Well, it arrived.
I’ve already set it up and recorded a new episode of The Flickcast with it. Expect that one soon. In the meantime, I’m happy to report that, to me at least, the mic more than lives up to the hype. In fact, it’s great.
It’s so great, in fact, I’m done looking. As in I will never use a different mic. Ever. I’m hooked.
Anyway, that’s it. Let me know if you have any questions about the Shure SM7B, my podcasting setup or podcasting in general. Happy to help if I can.
Oh, I should mention we recently launched a Patreon for The Flickcast. If you feel like supporting our show, I would really appreciate it.
Thanks so much and stay safe!
Podcasting And My New, Improved Setup
Even though I really did consider keeping my head down and trying to just “make it through” this time of COVID, turns out I couldn’t really do that. I’m not a “wait and see” type after all, but I guess I already knew that.
Instead, after due consideration, me and some pals decided to revive The Flickcast podcast and bring it back stronger than ever. Seems right. It was a good show. It can be a great show. We’re working on it.
I enjoy podcasting and I’m not sure why I stopped. Hard to say. Anyway, now I’m back into it and the first new episode of The Flickcast dropped this week. Give it a listen, and if you like it, tell a friend. Thanks.
Now with the promotional portion of our story over (for the moment at least) we are now on to to the actual topic of this post: my new podcasting setup. If you know me, you know I love gear. Gadgets. Tech. Stuff. And of course, I still love analog things too. I haven’t given those up, don’t worry.
However, it’s hard to do a podcast without some technology and really a podcast with all analog gear would just be, well, a live stage show, which is kinda a bad idea right now. So, tech it is.
Knowing I wanted to have much better sound quality this time around I decided to upgrade my podcasting setup and go for improved audio and an overall more professional show. I’m sure I can achieve at least one of those.
I’m still in the process of finishing some upgrades, but here’s the new setup for the moment:
My microphone of choice is a classic, the Shure Sm58. My eventual mic, the Shure SM7B, is currently on back order but should arrive soon. Until then, the SM58 is no slouch. It sounds really good.
I hang the mic on a Rode PSA1 boom arm attached to my desk to get it in the right position. The arm makes it much easier to adjust the mic and get it where it needs to be. It also gets the mic off of my desk, which improves sound quality and helps reduce those pesky vibrations and keyboard sounds. Plus, it just looks cool.
The SM58 is connected via XLR cable to one of the two inputs on my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 box, which allows the signal to be converted to digital and recorded into Logic Pro X on my MacBook Pro via the Scarlett’s USB interface. This box does a great job and the audio sounds super clean. Such a great little device.
Also connected to the Sm58 in line between the mic and the Scarlett 2i2 is a mic activator called the Cloudlifter CL1. Those little blue boxes help boost the audio and make me sound even better. I could explain in more detail why the Cloudlifter is a great device and how it works, but this isn’t that kind of technical review. Just know it does a great job.
The Scarlett is connected to my MacBook Pro (more on that in a different post) via USB-C cable, which allows it to not only interface with the Mac but also be powered by it. So, no need to plug it into a wall outlet or anything, which is nice.
Finally, I record and edit audio in Apple’s Logic Pro X running on the previously mentioned 2020 13" MacBook Pro with a 2.3 Ghz Quad Core i7 processor and 16 GB of RAM. Not gonna lie, it’s a sweet machine.
I used Final Cut Pro for video editing for a long time so Logic seemed like a, well, logical way to go as the interface and workflow is similar to FCP. I did also try Adobe’s Audition for a bit, but I don’t really like renting software on a monthly basis, so buying Logic Pro once and being able to own seemed like a good idea.
At the moment, I don’t do much audio editing for The Flickcast as, thankfully, we have a great producer who does most of that (Hi Mike). But I like to learn new things so I’ve been studying and practicing with Logic Pro X. Also, The Flickcast isn’t the only podcast I’m going to be doing (more on that later too), so being able to edit and adjust audio will be good skills to have.
Oh, in addition to these things, you’ll also need some XLR cables and a USB-C cable. For XLR, I’ve always been a Mogami guy, so get those if you can. Sure, they aren’t cheap, but they last forever and do a great job. On less thing to worry about.
For USB-C, I usually won’t pay Apple’s prices and instead get cables from Anker. They’re just as good, if not better, and way less expensive. You will also want a pair of headphones for monitoring your audio when recording and for editing and mixing it afterward. Currently, I use the Sony MDR-7508, just like most everyone else. Hey, they work.
This wasn’t a real, in depth, review of these devices but I just wanted to give a little info on my new, improved setup in case people were interested. That said, if you have questions about any of this, feel free to ask. I think people should try to help others and spread the knowledge. We’re all in this together, after all.
If you want to subscribe to The Flickcast, you can find it at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and at the show’s website.
Moving. No, Not That Kind
Hello all. You may notice some changes around here. You’re very perceptive. I’ve relocated this website to new hosting.
Nothing against Media Temple or anything, I’ve just decided to make a change. So, from now on this site will be running on servers powered by Mac Highway.
I like the fact that Mac Highway is all Macs and also gets all of its energy from wind power. That’s pretty cool.
Anyway, things might be a bit bumpy until everything is done, so bear with me. Thanks.
iPhone vs. DSLR
I love photography. In fact, I’ve been taking pictures since I was given my first camera (an Olympus OM 1) in the sixth grade. Yes, that long.
Over the years I had a succession of film cameras but made the switch to digital about ten years ago. Since then I’ve pretty much had Nikon DSLRs and, on occassion, Canon point and shoots. I’ve captures thousands of images with those cameras . . . and some of them are even pretty good. Well, a few at least.
Then, the iPhone came along. It was a phone, a way to send text messages, a web browsing device and, amazingly enough, a pretty good camera.
And over the years the iPhone cameras have gotten better and better. Now, they’re really good.
Of course, people still use a DSLR. I do, especially when shooting Max. He moves pretty fast and the quick focus of a DSLR and Nikon lenses (especially the amazing 50mm 1.4) comes in handy. But most of the time, I find myself using the iPhone 6 to take photos.
I’m not alone. People are using the iPhone a lot more every day to take photos. But how do the DSLR and the iPhone compare? This handy infographic (made by the fine folks at Twenty 20) answers that question and more. Check it out below.
Cool Video Saturday
I don’t know about that post title, sorry. I just needed to give this post one, so that’s what I came up with. I can do better . . . and I will . . . next time.
Until that magic moment, here’s a cool video of Porsche 911 engines being assembled. The attention to detail and precision is amazing. I’m also posting it on a Saturday . . . I’ll wait. There it is.
Ok, here you go.
Plus, a cool bonus video of 918 Spyders being assembled because I’m just that kind of a guy.
No, I’m not buying a Porsche (Not today, anyway). I just appreciate all that goes into making these great machines.
A New Episode of The Flickcast
Hey, I do a podcast. You probably already know that. But if you don’t, forgot for some reason or are trapped under something heavy with nothing to do but listen to podcasts, I thought it would be a good idea to mention it again.
In fact, a new episode just dropped yesterday. It’s a pretty good one. Actually, I would go so far as to say it’s very good.
So yeah, I do a very good podcast. It’s called The Flickcast and on it my co-host Joe Dilworth and I discuss lots of geeky stuff like movies, TV, comics, tech, gadgets, beer and a whole lot more. Yes, more. Lots of more.
Heaps of it, in fact. I’m not sure you can handle all the more, but you should try. Trust me, it’s worth it. It’s very worth it.
You can find the podcast on iTunes, on Stitcher and at The Flickcast website. Check it out, won’t you? And if you like it, feel free to tell someone and, perhaps, rate or review it.
Thanks. You’re a real sport.
How Apple Are You?
It should be no surprise to anyone (at least anyone paying attention) I’m an Apple fan. I like the company and I like the company’s products. Quite a bit, in fact.
I like Apple’s products so much I’ve amassed a fairly large collection of them over the years. I even have one of the first Macintosh computers ever made. I also have an Apple II+ (it was my first Apple product) which came out way before the Mac even existed. In 1979, to be exact. That’s how far back I go.
But with all that, how Apple am I really? Fortunately, there’s a handy infographic that can help answer that important question. It can probably help you too.
I did pretty well. What’s your score?
Note: I like this infographic, which is why I posted it. However, I’ve never used Mackeeper so I can’t endorse it. Do your own research.
Initial Reactions to the Amazon Fire TV
As you may have heard, Amazon released the Fire TV this week, it’s own competitor to the Apple TV and other living room devices like the Roku. Because I’m a fan of all-things tech and love pretty much any excuse to check out a new gadget, I ordered one on the day of release.
It arrived yesterday. Over the last 24 hours I’ve had a chance to play with it a little bit and thought I would report my initial reactions.
The Fire TV ships in Amazon’s “Frustration Free” packaging, which is always a plus with me. I love how easy it is to get the box open, find all the pieces and start to get the device set up. The Fire TV box contains the device itself (a small, black box), a small power adaptor, a remote control with batteries and an instruction booklet.
It does not come with an HDMI cable, or any other way to connect the Fire TV to your TV. But that shouldn’t come as any surprise. Fortunately, I have a healthy supply of cables at home, so this was no problem at all. But don’t forget to buy one if you don’t have one already.
Physical setup was a breeze. Simply connect the power adaptor to the device and a power outlet, the HDMI cable to your TV and the device powers up and gets going. As you might expect, the first thing the device wants is an Internet connection. I decided to connect the Fire TV to my wireless network, mostly because I wanted to see how it handled streaming 1080p content that way.
Navigating through the device’s menu for connection to my wireless network was very easy using the included remote. The Fire TV found my network immediately and once I entered the password using the remote and onscreen keyboard, it connected the first time and I was online. So far, so good.
Steve Jobs, An American Legend
I haven’t said much about the upcoming biopic of Steve Jobs, featuring Ashton Kutcher as the iconic Apple frontman. I’ve done that mostly because when I first heard about it, I was sure it was going to be a disaster, so why bother talking about it?
However, now that I’ve been seeing more and more material from the movie, I have to admit my attitude has changed. But changed how, you may ask?
Look, I don’t have anything in particular against Kutcher or against people trying to make movies about icons like Steve Jobs. We live in a world where things like that are still possible, and I, for one, am very happy about that.
So what’s my problem (or problems) with the movie? To be honest, after several months of hearing about it, watching trailers and talking about it with other film and tech people I know and respect, I’ve kinda forgotten what my problem with it is.
In truth, I kinda forget about the movie until a new trailer, or other piece of marketing, arrives in my inbox. And maybe that’s the problem I have with it. It’s not that I’m angry or think that Kutcher will do a terrible job portraying Jobs, it’s that I just don’t care.
I don’t care enough about the movie to have an opinion anymore, positive or negative. And that brings us to the latest trailer for the movie Jobs. I’ve watched it at least twice. It’s not horrible.
It’s not blow-you-out-of-your-seat great either. It’s just . . . there.
Will I see the movie when it comes out? At this point, probably not. Although, I really do hope something changes. I really hope something comes along that sparks my interest. I don’t like being indifferent. I really do want to care.
I guess that’s something, right?
[blip.tv blip.tv/play/hJh3… width=“550” height=“331”]
Think 'Pacific Rim' Is Total Fantasy? Meet Atlas
Yes, the movie Pacific Rim is out today and yes, it features giant monsters called Kaiju who we humans fight with giant, mechanized, human-piloted robots we build called Jaegers. And sure, the idea that monsters come from wherever they come from (no spoilers here) and we need to build giant, mechanical creatures to fight them may seem far-fetched and relegated to the world of fantasy and the movies.
And really, I can’t vouch for the likelihood of giant, alien monsters coming to destroy humanity. That does seem rather unlikely. However, I do believe we’re not that far away from being able to create the mechanical robots that would fight them if they did come.
Don’t believe me? Meet Atlas in this video and maybe you just might change your mind.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkBnFPBV3f0?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
Trouble Sleeping? It Could Be Your Gadgets
In truth, I don’t know if anything from the handy infographic below applies to me or not. I do know I frequently use my iPhone, or one of my other gadgets, in bed right before I try to fall asleep.
I also know that I used to be able to sleep very well and make it all the way through the night with no problem. Now, not so much. In fact, these days, I occasionally suffer from insomnia and can’t sleep much at all.
So I have to wonder, is it my gadgets? Maybe so. To find out, I’m going to try a little experiment.
For the next few weeks I’m going to make a conscious effort not to look at my iPhone, laptop or other backlit gadget in the hour or so before I try to fall asleep. That also means I’m going to have to switch back to the older Kindle, without the backlight, if I want to read any books. Or, I guess I could just read an actual book. That would probably work too.
It may be difficult at first, but I think I’m up to the challenge. I’ll let you know how it goes. Now, where did I put my glasses?
The First 24 Hours With iOS 7
As promised, I’m back with more on Apple’s latest iOS offering, a “little” update known as iOS 7. Things started off a bit rough yesterday as I tried to get iOS 7 to install and activate on my test iPhone 5 (CDMA) in order to get to know it better. I was able to install the beta but then could not activate the phone. The result was, effectively, a bricked device.
Fortunately, I was able to boot the iPhone into DFU mode and revert to iOS 6. I actually ended up doing this twice due to trying alternative install methods using iTunes. One, the usual wipe and restore and the other an upgrade to iOS 7 over an existing install of iOS 6. Neither of these resulted in the iPhone going all the way through the activation process.
What finally ended up working was a wipe and restore using Apple’s development tool for iOS (and OS X) called Xcode. Using Xcode I was able to wipe and restore iOS 7 to the device and then, this time, the activation completed and I had a working iPhone. This was after several hours and went on into the night.
Consequently, I haven’t had a lot of time to get into the intricacies of the new OS. However, I did have a chance to play with it a little bit and following are my thoughts so far.
First (and this is a big one), I’m not sure I like the new look. Sure, the skeuomorphic aspects of iOS 6 are pretty dated and probably needed to go. I won’t miss the leather-bound elegance of the Calendar app or the simulated wood grain of iBooks. I’m just not sure iOS 7 is going in the right direction either.
In its present form, I find the font and lines around elements too thin and the colors too similar to be very distinct. In my several hours of use I’ve found myself clicking on the wrong thing or trying to slide something to the left or right that can’t actually be slid. Plus, the contrast between UI elements seems much more muted as well. When everything is flat and looks similar with similar colors and little contrast, it’s difficult to tell which elements can be interacted with and which can’t.
I find this especially true when using the new keyboard. A key with a thin black line around it over a light grey background is harder to hit, at least for me, than a key with a heavier line against a darker background. Contrast is good and not something to be scared of. Of course, more contrast makes things look less flat. I get that.
I also get that I’m not a designer, but I have participated in the design of many projects and supervised designers of various kinds over the years. I also know what I like and what I think looks good. And I’m not sure this color scheme and lack of contrast is it. Although, maybe it’s because I’ve haven’t spent much time with the Yahoo Weather app.
Yes, I know, Jony Ive is a genius and I can clearly see what he was going for with iOS 7. You only need to look at the man himself and see what his wardrobe looks like to know he’s not a fan of contrast. He prefers uniformity and order. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But that doesn’t mean his taste is the right taste for everyone. Some people might prefer things to be different. I might be one of those people.
As this is a beta, and an early one, many things also don’t work as expected or seem unfinished. This is especially true with a few apps I use regularly, like Gmail, that haven’t gotten the memo about using the new keyboard. Consequently, when you need a keyboard in the Gmail app, the old one pops up.
This is actually one of the ways I know I don’t like the new keyboard very much. I still have occasion to use the old one and find it much easier to type on than the new one. I’m also not a fan of the seemingly arbitrary change from lines to dots to show cell network signal strength. I didn’t mind lines. What’s wrong with lines? They were used quite a few other places in the new UI, why not for signal strength?
I’m also not sure why I now can’t double click on the home button to get a list of running apps, press and hold on one of the icons to get it to vibrate and then press the “X” to quit it. I’ve had more than a few apps crash on me so far and the old way to get them to work again was to make them stop running and then launch them again. Now, it’s all different.
The way you do it now is to double click on the home button to get thumbnails of the running apps. Then, you swipe the thumbnail upwards to close an app you want to quit. I was able to do it but I also found myself bringing up the control center from the bottom of the screen several times too. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like a rather convoluted “new” way to accomplish a previously simple task.
On a positive note, I do like the new static wallpapers and that cool 3D-looking effect when you move the iPhone around. Plus, the motion wallpapers are kinda nice too. I’m using one right now, in fact. I don’t know what effect they will have on battery life but so far, somewhat surprisingly, I’m getting pretty much the same battery life as when the iPhone had iOS 6 installed on it. Let’s hope that continues.
With any massive change, there’s bound to be bumps and rough edges. None of my issues with iOS 7, at least so far, are hugely annoying, would prevent me from continuing to use it or make me switch to Android. Although, I’m entertaining that thought for other reasons. But that’s a subject for a future article (or two).
I’m sure as iOS 7 matures, many of the things that bother me about it will be addressed and corrected. At least I hope so.
Once I’ve had more time with iOS 7 I’ll bring you another exciting round of observations. I’m also going to be installing the new version of OS X, code named Mavericks. More on that later too.
Initial Thoughts on iOS 7 and Apple In General
Well, now we know.
My first reaction on seeing iOS 7 was less dramatic than I thought it was going to be. I like the way it looks but I wasn’t “totally blown away” as I thought I might be.
That’s not to say iOS 7 isn’t nice to look at, it is. And in truth, I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting and/or hoping for. It’s just that I don’t think the look of iOS was really the big problem that needed solving. Flat icons and a thinner font don’t make things work better, it just makes things better looking (and that’s a matter of opinion too).
Of course, it’s hard to judge something I haven’t really had time to play with, so I’ll reserve any deeper analysis until I’ve had a chance to install and use iOS 7, which I’m going to do a bit later today.
One other thing I did want to mention about the WWDC keynote that bothered me was the bashing of other companies (especially Google) and the almost apologetic self-promotion by Apple. Let me put it another way: You don’t have to keep talking about how great you are, to be great you just make great products. People will figure it out.
Over the years I’ve managed companies and teams large and small and one thing I’ve always tried to remember is if you have to keep insisting you’re in charge, you really aren’t. The person in charge doesn’t have to say they’re in charge or prove anything, he or she just is.
It’s the same for Apple. The more Apple insist that they’re amazing innovators, the more they try to refute critics and the more they bash other companies, the less they look like a market leader and one of the most successful companies of all time. They just look desperate.
The more Apple tries to be like everyone else, the less special they become. There’s no reason to publicly acknowledge critics or paint rival companies in a bad light and there’s certainly no reason to make it more difficult/impossible for iOS users to choose which default search engine they want or what Maps app they want. That’s just dumb and, frankly, beneath a company like Apple.
Apple got where they are today by not doing things like everyone else. They should win by having the best ideas and the best products. Period. The rest just isn’t important.
Okay, enough of that. More on iOS 7 after I’ve had a chance to work with it a bit.
A Few Interesting Things For a Friday
It’s almost the weekend. Pat yourself on the back for making it this far. It’s been an interesting week for sure.
But let’s put all that aside for a minute and take a look at some fun things for a Friday. Next week we can all go back to the usual BS.
Don’t worry, it will still be there. Promise.
First up is the cool LEGO Star Wars Ewok Village Set (pictured above). Sure, I felt the same way about the Ewoks as you probably did, but this is still pretty cool.
In more LEGO news the company apparently doesn’t want to rest on its laurels by having the worlds biggest LEGO space ship. They also want to build the ultimate LEGO house. Sure, why not?
If you like comics as I do, you may want to, occasionally, read them on your iPad. But what’s the best app to accomplish this? Well, the gang at Lifehacker recommends Comic Zeal. I like it, but as it’s only for non-DRM comics, I also use the Comics app from ComiXology to read my Marvel, DC and other publisher’s stuff.
With Apple’s WWDC coming up next week, there’s lots of speculation as to what the company may announce. I think we’re going to see iOS 7, a new Pro desktop, maybe a new laptop and a new music streaming service, but what else? Wired has the full compliment of predictions. We’ll know if any of us are right next Monday.
Finally, are you a science geek? Or perhaps you have a child (or two) that needs to learn the periodic table of the elements? Well, what better way than with a music video. Watch and enjoy. You just might lean something. I did.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUDDiWtFtEM?rel=0&w=525&h=295]
Happy weekend.
Happy 30th Birthday 'War Games'
Sorry, it can’t be Star Wars 24/7 around here. Instead, let’s turn our attention to another movie from my youth I thoroughly enjoyed then and still do today.
That movie? Director John Badham’s 1983 cold war computer geek classic War Games.
In War Games, a young Matthew Broderick plays computer hacker David Lightman who tries to impress a girl named Jennifer (the equally young and cute Ally Sheedy) by hacking into the school’s computer to change her grade. He does it, she’s impressed and all is well. However, things then take a turn for the worse when David inadvertently hacks into a powerful NORAD defense computer known as the WOPR and almost starts World War III.
The feds, as you can imagine, are not amused and go looking for David. As they close in, and with the clock counting down until the start of an actual war by the computer that thinks its not a game, David goes on the run to find the only man who he hopes can make things right: the thought-dead inventor of the WOPR Professor Falken.
Sure, the movie’s technology is dated and yes, so are the hairstyles. But after 30 years War Games still holds up as a serviceable cold war thriller and provides some good insight into the mentality of an eighties teenager/hacker.
As a former eighties teenager/hacker myself, I can relate. Although, not to the almost starting World War III thing. That wasn’t me. I was out of town that day.
Check out the trailer for War Games below. If you haven’t seen it in awhile, or ever, it’s definitely worth a look.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbqMuvnx5MU?rel=0&w=525&h=295]