Extreme Graphical Representation: Difference between revisions

This is [[Truth in Television]] as many home computers have blinking lights on it, mostly around the 'on' switch. And verbose modes and system monitors are bound to be used more than it's really necessary. That way if neither disk light blinks nor progress bar moves, the user can confirm the growing suspicion that the program quietly hung five minutes ago and he's just sitting there, waiting for nothing. Modern user interface design explicitly states humans need these kinds of cues. Also, routers and such have tons of blinking lights on them. Legends say that the [[All There in the Manual|manuals tell you]] what the blinking lights on the router means. However, these myths are unconfirmed, as <s> almost</s> nobody reads those things. The same goes for the system beeps when you start up your pc, which tell the user that the pc is indeed starting up correctly without any circuitry problems when you turn it on.

 

{{examples}}

 

* ''[[District 9]]'' features alien vehicles controlled via a holographic panel, as demonstrated towards the end of the movie. But then, it's ''alien'' technology; you shouldn't expect them to be using any kind of real-world OS.

** The lead alien {{spoiler|uses a bunch of human computer components to build a temporary diagnostic system for his ship}}, but it also seems emulate the alien OS. With little apparent success, since it's actually supposed run its display as a hologram. But hey, he makes it work somehow.

* ''[[Quantum of Solace (Film)|Quantum of Solace]]'' has the [[MI 6]] facility equipped with gigantic multitouch screens on every surface, thus enabling it to completely replicate the functionality of... folders, noticeboards and sheets of paper.

** Well folders, noticeboards and sheets of paper create clutter and can't be easily updated without some eraser marks.

**** [http://lcarsreader.com/ LCARS Reader for iPad] is available. Seriously, why else would you want an iPad, other than to have a fully functional 24th century PADD?

**** How about a ''fully functional LCARS tricorder app'' for Android? The one concession to Rule of Cool is a somewhat useless mode displaying pictures of the sun and proton/electron output over the past 64 days. (Search for "tricorder" on market.android.com.)

* Parodied in [http://www.somethingawful.com/d/feature-articles/ditch-your-os.php this] ''[[Something Awful]]'' article about "MoFOS" (Movie Fake Operating System).

* Generally any crime drama on TV will show computers with a ludicrous unnecessary graphic interface. ''[[CSI]]'' especially seems to love it.

== Truth in television ==

 

** A real CM was used as the backdrop of the "control room" in [[Jurassic Park]].

*** They didn't use the whole thing, just the front panel.

* Modern computers are filled with things which don't actually indicate progress, but instead are just there to give users something to watch while they wait for the machine (this is considered bad GUI design):

** The "animated hourglass", "spinning beachball", "ticking watch", "running dog", and similar cursors on both Mac and Windows.

** Those animated sequences that play in a Microsoft Windows loading box whenever you do a simple file operation. They will keep going even if the disk drive stalls.

*** The funny thing is, you'll find out the that this is really an animated GIF file.

[[Category:Truth in Television]]

[[Category:Extreme Graphical Representation]]