Gizmodo: war games

Cinema's Most Dramatic Typing Scenes

Mark Wilson — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:40:00 EDT

Are you telling me that no one has thought to combine the inherent suspense of a typing scene with the added drama of slow motion? I smell a low-hanging Oscar, Hollywood visual effects artists.

OK, Joel Johnson's comment on this video was funnier than mine.

Every time I hit "Save" in Movable Type I pause and mouth "Bingo".

It's true, too, though I've seen him jazz it up with a squinted blow to his finger guns.

UPDATE: For whatever reason, Current video doesn't like our site. So either check out the clip HERE or over at bbGadgets. Your call. [via bbGadgets]

Wargames Celebrates 25th Anniversary, Wired Interviews Everyone and their Mother About It

Mark Wilson — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:46:00 EDT

Unlike more modern films about hacking like The Net and Hackers, Wargames has been lovingly embraced by the geek audience. And even 25 years after its release, it holds up as a thought-provoking film about a changing technological future—a future where the fate of the world really can be in one man's hands, or just as easily, the neutral clutches of an obedient piece of computer software.

Wired has published a particularly enjoyable series of interviews in celebration of Wargames' anniversary, which includes those who wrote and directed the film as well as those inventing all the hacks back in 1983. But our favorite moment that can't be missed from the article was a too-weird-to-be-made-up story from co-screenwriter Lawrence Lasker about visiting Norad and meeting its quirky commander:

As we're walking back to the bus that's going to take us to the hotel, James Hartinger [then commander in chief of Norad] walks up between me and Walter and plants a hand on the back of our necks: "I understand you boys are writing a movie about me!" he says. "Let's go to the bar." Walter says: "Well, we have to get on the bus to go back to our hotel." And Hartinger replies: "Are you insane? I've got 50,000 men under my command. You think I can't get you back to your hotel? Plus, I can't drink off the base. So c'mon." He was all for the message in our script. We kind of simplified it to "machines are taking over." He said, "God damn, you're right! I sleep well at night knowing I'm in charge."

Hit the link for the rest of Wired's oral history of Wargames. It's worth the read. [Wired]

Air Force Wants to Use Every Computer They've Got to Build Massive Botnet for DDoS Attacks

matt buchanan — Wed, 14 May 2008 07:30:00 EDT

China has been semi-famed for launching DDoS attacks and poking around the US's secure networks generally. One Air Force colonel's solution? Build a massive botnet to DDoS the Commie bastards (or anyone else) right back. Because we're on the Light side, our bigass botnet wouldn't infect new computers, but the plan would press millions of computers set for the scrap pile into DDoS duty, as well as every unclassified computer in the Air Force's possession (including civilian government machines).

Bringing the good ol' Cold War days to the future, the system would be linked to the Air Force's high-speed instruction detection systems, letting them immediately strike back at the source. I'm internally debating whether this is a good idea or not, all Skynet jokes aside. Your thoughts? [Threat Level]

Air Force Buys 300 PlayStation 3 for Research

Jesus Diaz — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 05:16:28 EST

The Air Force has bought 300 PlayStation 3s for "research." Whether "research" means "let's play a massive Call of Duty 4 game" or "let's start building SkyNet with 300 PlayStation 3 nodes" or "let's create a giant black mecha with Blu-ray lasers" is yet to be seen. According to the Air Force, they need the cell processors for assessment:

The Air Force Research Laboratory is conducting a technology assessment of certain cell processors. The processors in the Sony PlayStation 3 are the only brand on the market that utilizes the specific cell processor characteristics needed for this program at an acceptable cost.

So in case you have 300 PS3 that just fell from a truck, here is the order:

The contractor shall provide the following items on a firm fixed price basis:
Item 1: Sony PlayStation 3 Game Console - 40 GB Hard Drive

Qty: 300

Sony Part Number 98006

The estimated delivery date is 30 days after receipt of award. The place of delivery, acceptance, and FOB destination point is F4HBL1/Transportation Depot 2, 148 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY 13441-4516.

I wonder if Transportation Depot 2 is where they store the lost arks and dead aliens with the spaceships. [Air Force via Hushed Casket]

No Hummer Jokes Here, Honest

Gizloco — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 11:51:53 EST

The Hummer just isn t an obnoxiously big car driven by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Oh, no, it s a highly-capable combat machine when properly outfitted. Since the next generation of Hummers is still being worked on, the US Air Force has commissioned companies in California to outfit consumer-grade Hummers for military exercises. These limo-style Hummers will stand in for the real war machines during tests and exercises. Retrofitted with networking equipment, computers and radios (and air conditioners—it s hot in the desert!), the Hummers don the traditional camouflage paint. Odds are you probably won t be able to buy these babies at your friendly neighborhood Hummer dealership, though.

HUMMER LIMOS ENTER WAR GAMES [Defense Tech]