I love Tron. It was the second movie I’ve ever seen in my entire life. I’ve seen that movie more times than any other movie, second only to Star Wars (the first movie I’ve ever seen). It was the first DVD I ever purchased, and I even went to the 25th anniversary screening in Santa Monica; followed by an awesome panel that included the director, visual effect guys, and Bruce Boxleitner. Despite my love for it, I can’t deny that is has one of the silliest story lines I’ve ever heard: A man goes INTO a computer in order to prove that he invented a blockbuster video game. Yes, I know there is more to Tron than that. There is the religious undertone. There are the bad ass light cycles. There is a the groundbreaking use of visual effects. And overall it’s a fun visual spectacle (for it’s time). It captured the imagination of a world that knew next to nothing about computers.
I still can’t help but wonder what would have happened if Flynn backed his stuff up, or at the very least put a password on his computer. I mean seriously. Dillinger wasn’t all that bright. The password could have been “Password”, and it would have stumped him.
But that’s my 21st century mentality talking. Back in 1982 even the most brilliant of programmers couldn’t predict the computing standards of today.
-End of line
Flynn DID have a password – “REINDEER FLOTILLA.”
(I haven’t seen the movie in at least 15 years. Don’t ask me why I still remember that, because I have no idea…)
Really? Wow…
Tron is rad. The new Tron….not so much. This comic is rad.
Kevin Flynn was employed by ENCOM. If ENCOM is like every other major corporation they owned all the code he wrote. There is no way to know what ENCOM’s policy was toward moving data in and out of the building or how it should be stored, maintained, and protected in house, but I’m guessing it was pretty strict since we see novel-sized employee handbooks for people in the tech industry nowadays. Remember, ENCOM was a beast back then and had lots of security (which just got more severe over time).
Flynn did say his video game efforts were more or less a fun diversion that he did “after hours” in a “private memory file,” which by the tone he uses in the film makes it sound like this was against protocol. If someone managed to discover Flynn’s activities, they could easily take the code and he would have no recourse. It’s like trying to have someone arrested for stealing your drug stash — you shouldn’t have had it in the first place.
Dillinger wasn’t a dunce. He made the MCP, a true (and brutal) artificial intelligence. And he was also smart enough to get Flynn’s code, exploit it, and probably have the guy fired somehow (I don’t know if Flynn leaving ENCOM was voluntary or not, I’m assuming not. He seemed bitter.)
Now, I’m guessing the video games Flynn wrote had some sort of dependent file that was perhaps written in such a way as to prevent the signature inside from being deleted/overwritten. This is speculation of course, but what other explanation is there for Flynn to try retrieving it?
You might say, “well, if that file was unchangeable why wouldn’t Flynn do that to all the files in the first place?” My answer would be simple carelessness. Kevin Flynn was a hot-shot and probably a little too trusting of not only his abilities, but of his co-workers too. In fact, his aloof attitude may have lead him to do many careless things, leaving the door wide open for the ambitious, like Dillinger.
I think of backing my stuff up all of the time. It’s just that I never actually get around to doing it. What’s life without a little danger.
Just wait until you lose it ALL.
Thinking things through pays off. Luckily for us, he did not.
I know. If he backed his stuff up, we wouldn’t have any light cycles.
Who needs backups.
Not you!