Groups > alt.folklore.computers > #235243

Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park”

From	Bud Frede <frede@mouse-potato.com>
Newsgroups	alt.folklore.computers
Subject	Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park”
Organization	Wossamotta U.
References	<1139n6c$1mvrc$1@dont-email.me> <113bht2$29q8n$2@dont-email.me> <113cjip$2jac5$1@dont-email.me> <113f851$3chk9$2@dont-email.me> <113uu9m$753$1@reader1.panix.com>
Message-ID	<ZY3dS.3712$X0O7.751@fx35.iad> (permalink)
Date	2026-08-06 14:00 -0400

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David Lesher <wb8foz@panix.com> writes:

> Lawrence =?iso-8859-13?q?D=FFOliveiro?= <ldo@nz.invalid> writes:
>
>> IBM >AN/FSQ-7 <https://www.starringthecomputer.com/computer.html?c=73>.
>
>>I don't think any of the latter featured as actual working units. They
>>were huge mainframe computers, built for the US Air Force SAGE system
>>to guard against attack by Soviet nuclear bombers. Billions were spent
>>to build and run the system for about a decade, before the whole thing
>>was decommissioned as it became clear that the main threat would
>>henceforth come from ICBMs. It was never used in anger, of course;
>>some felt that it would never have worked anyway.
>
> There was the minor problem pointed out by Les Ernest: it could
> not deal with radar jamming, so TPTB just pretended it didn't
> exist. AND as it turns out, the USSR long-range bomber fleet 
> was ~5-6 total aircraft.
>
>
>>Pieces kept popping up in movies and TV for many years after the
>>system was dismantled, since buying and adapting those second-hand
>>parts was usually cheaper than building your own props from scratch.
>>And they looked pretty impressive, too.
>
> A wall of blinking lamps was purchased by a Hollywood prop shop
> and used by Irwin Allen in Time Tunnel, Voyage to the Bottom of
> the Sea, etc. and many of his other schlocky series of the
> era.

That seemed to be the popular impression of computers for many
people. Lots and lots of blinking lights.

Hmmm.... worked for the Wizard of Oz too. :-)

Thread

Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park” Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-07-16 04:37 +0000
  Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ?90s Computer Seen In ?Jurassic Park? ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) - 2026-07-16 21:19 +0000
    Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ?90s Computer Seen In ?Jurassic Park? Jan van den Broek <balglaas@dds.nl> - 2026-07-17 06:54 +0000
      Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ?90s Computer Seen In ?Jurassic Park? ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) - 2026-07-18 06:27 +0000
      Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park” Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-07-18 06:57 +0000
        Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park” David Lesher <wb8foz@panix.com> - 2026-07-24 05:47 +0000
          Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park” Bud Frede <frede@mouse-potato.com> - 2026-08-06 14:00 -0400
            Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park” scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2026-08-06 18:22 +0000
            Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park” Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-08-06 23:55 +0000
              Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park” SpallsHurgenson(NG) <user14325@newsgrouper.org.invalid> - 2026-08-07 00:53 +0000
                Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s =?UTF "Kurt Weiske" <kurt.weiske@realitycheckbbs.org.remove-afx-this> - 2026-08-07 08:51 -0700
                Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park” Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-08-07 19:16 +0000
                Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park” Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-08-07 21:44 +0000
                Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park” Thomas Prufer <prufer.public@mnet-online.de.invalid> - 2026-08-12 09:03 +0200
            Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park” Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-08-07 11:17 -0400
              Modern blinkenlights: (was: Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park”) Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> - 2026-08-20 14:12 +0800
                Re: Modern blinkenlights: (was: Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park”) John Ames <commodorejohn@gmail.com> - 2026-08-20 07:53 -0700
                Re: Modern blinkenlights: Peter Flass <Peter@Iron-Spring.com> - 2026-08-20 09:30 -0700
                Re: Modern blinkenlights: Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-08-20 18:04 +0000
                Re: Modern blinkenlights: scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2026-08-20 18:24 +0000
                Re: Modern blinkenlights: Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> - 2026-08-21 00:36 +0800
                Re: Modern blinkenlights: (was: Re: Engineer Identifies & Explains Every ’90s Computer Seen In “Jurassic Park”) SpallsHurgenson(NG) <user14325@newsgrouper.org.invalid> - 2026-08-20 16:41 +0000

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