#249: Tron, Part I

Isn’t a Mentat a human calculator? Think Kyle XY (wow! my first Dune reference in GWC!)

Long story short…

Thinking machines take over turn humans into slaves
Humans start to evolve and fight a war to free themselves.
Humans ban thinking machines
Some humans evolve so much that the rest of us are back to being slaves
Thinking machines come out of hiding and start the war all over again
Arrmagedon!

Of course that is a WAY oversimplification. That being said, if you haven’t read the dune series, it’s definitely worth it. Gets a little weird in the middle books, but wraps itself up nicely.

The word you’re looking for is “moose knuckle.”

Chuck & Sean,

The only difference between the live-action GI Joe movie and the cartoon? The movie didn’t have a PSA at the end.

And knowing is half the battle.

~Shooter Out

GWC Crue,

Did you guys forget our favorite Six “model” (pun intended)? Tricia Helfer!!!

~Shooter Out

I bought Tron 10 years ago and went to watch it two Fridays ago and played for 55 min. Tried it on: 2 Xboxs, 2 Blu-ray players, 1 DVD player, 1 DVD recorder, my laptop and a portable DVD player. FRAK!!!

Saw the Transformers trailer, first on iTunes and then in 3D before Narnia on Friday. I have a better feeling about this one. I loved the first, hated the second (though the documentary on disc 2 of DVD justified purchase).

Crue, I was really intrgued with your conversation about AI and had a few pontifications:

Audra, I was really challenged by your bringing up of the concept that AI probably wouldn’t start war for power as it would be beneath them. The Matrix and Terminator are used as examples. But don’t forget why both instances why the machines fought: self preservation. Schwartzenagger stated that the machines became self aware, which freaked the humans out and they tried to pull the plug. The Animatrix showed us that the machines were provoked by hostile humans.

The proof of any sentient life is the awareness of self in the environment it habitates. While self defense isn’t, anticipation and preparation is. Look at HAL in 2001. Humans are generally afraid of things they don’t dominate. AI makes life easier, YAY! Wait, it can see me in my shower and pass judgement on me! Kill it!

Art is a great watermark for life status. But doesn’t require the viewer to be artist or audience. The real question is does that individual understand the concept of art. If it can recognize the concept of art (not just recognition), it is sentient.

For the record (I had to go back in my e-mail and look it up), I bought Tron 20th Anniversary Edition on Amazon.com on March 13th, 2010 for $9.99. I had grouped it with two other items so the shipping was free.

I can’t wait to wait to watch it tonight or tomorrow night before the movie comes out this weekend!

~Shooter Out.

I finally watched Tron for the first time ever this past weekend. For a lifelong videogame fan, somehow never seeing Tron has always been one of my greatest Geek Tragedies.

I am SO looking forward to this cast so I can get some insights into the film from you guys!

Still listening to #249. Saw this on Youtube the other day and thought I’d share it. This would’ve made for an epic trailer back in 1982.

//youtu.be/Jp2gGqgn3Fw

that was just a little bit EPIC!! Well played sir!

I found that months ago and showed to people who never saw Tron before. They felt like they had missed out on something cool.

Just a piece of perfectly useless SiFi actor connection trivia. We all know that Bruce Boxlietner went form playing Tron to Playing Captain Sheridan on Babylon 5. Did any one else pick up on the fact that the first program Flynn fights in the JaiAli like game is Peter Jurasik who played Londo Molarie on B5?

Nice pull!! Well played sir!

My favorite local bar has a working Tron video game. Every week I go down there when it’s dead and quiet and put a couple of bucks in it. I still suck just as bad as when I was 9.

That is frakking sweet.

END OF LINE.

What were you guys saying int he podcast about Hunter-Killers being here today?

http://on.msnbc.com/icQDWb

Now if I could just convince the brass to add cockpits to these F302s…

~Shooter Out.

Yes, but then I’ve seen the movie many times in the past 25 years.

Did you notice the video game icons around Sarks control station on his ship? There was even some sound effects.

About 1:28 into the podcast mention was made of a collective A.I. made up of uploaded human personalities. While The Borg are (is?) made up of many different species, and fan of Peter F. Hamilton’s Commonwealth series should recognize the S.I., which was an early A.I. made up of uploaded human personalities. It played a major role in both Padora’s Star & Judas Unchained but a very small role in the followup Void series.

Doh! I missed that! Good catch!