History Main / ExtremeGraphicalRepresentation

*** This is parodied on [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Voyager]], when The Doctor plays with a '''golf ball''' that is covered in blinking lights.

** This trope is averted in the first film, when Cypher explains "The image translators work for the construct program, but there's way too much information to decode the Matrix." Meaning that they can view what's happening inside their Construct program (their mini-Matrix) graphically via the "image translators", but there's too much information in the Matrix to render a graphical view of what's happening there, so they have to view it in the raining code, which is something like a debugger or a system monitor.

* The UsefulNotes/SharpX68000 version of ''VideoGame/FantasticNightDreamsCotton'' makes [=LEDs=] on the keyboard light up in time to the music.

* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'', the [[ShowWithinAShow fake TV]] you get to watch at the beginning is obscenely decorative. Markers with unreadable text pop up to accompany every little action.

This is TruthInTelevision as many home computers have blinking lights on them, mostly around the 'on' switch. And verbose modes and system monitors are bound to be used more than is 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 they're 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, usually corresponding to a code for what the device is doing and any errors that might pop up. The same goes for the system beeps when you start up your computer, which tells the user that their [=PC=] is indeed starting up correctly, without any circuitry issues or other problems like dead [=RAM=] or a misbehaving graphics card. In the tech world, this is known as Posting, or Power On Self Test.

This is due to the RuleOfPerception: To humans, movement means activity. Lack of movement means it's inactive - dead. So if it doesn't ''look'' like the piece of gee-whiz technology is doing something, we don't believe it ''is'' doing anything. Thus, an Extreme Graphical Representation will almost always involve some kind of visible activity -- whether it's obvious or subtle. And since it's just a prop, the activity usually isn't related to anything at all.

This is TruthInTelevision as many home computers have blinking lights on them, mostly around the 'on' switch. And verbose modes and system monitors are bound to be used more than is 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 they're 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, usually corresponding to a code for what the device is doing and any errors that might pop up. The same goes for the system beeps when you start up your computer, which tell the user that their [=PC=] is indeed starting up correctly, without any circuitry issues or other problems like dead [=RAM=] or a misbehaving graphics card. In the tech world, this is known as Posting, or Power On Self Test.

See also: ViewerFriendlyInterface, TheAestheticsOfTechnology, BeepingComputers, BillionsOfButtons

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* While the [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion original series]] has some flashy displays, ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'' has super orgasmovision 5D parallax screens for everything, even the monitors that more or less say: "Power Switch: On" or the ones that show where the Evas and Angels are in relation to each other.

* In ''Film/TheMatrix'', ''real world'' computers use the flashy scrolling green characters of the "Matrix code", but in the virtual world, to the glee of many - shall we say - ''security analysts'', a [[http://nmap.org/movies.html real hacking program]] was used.

** Averted further in the second film with Zion Traffic Control being depicted as several people jacked into a dedicated simulation that is rendered in minimalist undistracting black-on-white lineart.

* Every computer screen seen in ''Film/EnemyOfTheState'' has blatantly unnecessary bits of video, animated images, and scrolling text visible.

* ''Film/District9'' 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 to 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.

*** How about a ''fully functional [[http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.danms.LCARSScanner LCARS tricorder app]]'' for Android? The one concession to RuleOfCool is a somewhat useless mode displaying pictures of the sun and proton/electron output over the past 64 days.

*** The LCARS is an actual interface standard, and people have even written DOS frontends that use it. And also an entire separate distribution of Linux (for the non-Linux-users, that's like a whole different version of Windows), which isn't just be a "skin" for a Windows-like interface, but actually implements the real LCARS interface (with touch-screens!). The fake TV future is here!

* Used quite noticeably in the 2007 ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' film--apparently, if you take a sound file of a signal broadcast by a Transformer, open it in Audacity, and zoom in really close to the waveform, you can see Cybertronian glyphs.

* ''Film/JurassicPark'' shows a 3D computer interface that is actually a ''real'' program -- FSN (short for File System Navigator), a proof-of-concept file-system manager included with every SGI. (It's no longer available on SGI's site, but someone has made a similar program called [[http://fsv.sourceforge.net/ FSV.]]) However, prior to the system reboot, what we see of the computers is a combination of specialized [=UIs=] and plain old command-line.

* It's been said on a recent ''Frontline'' special that the computers in one of Bernie Madoff's accounting offices relied on this in order to make clients and SEC officials believe that ''stuff'' was going on, and that the computers were actually doing what they were supposed to be doing. All the while, a much smaller office just below that one did the ''real'' "accounting" work.

[[folder:Film]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/PenguinsOfMadagascar,'' the North Wind's computer interfaces run on this trope. Even their in-field tactical planning sessions utilize a ''projected display dome'' with animated graphics.

* ''VideoGame/{{Ripper}}''`s vision of the 2040s has everyone have to go into a virtual reality world in order to access the internet, and access websites via huge floating icons.

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* ''Anime/SerialExperimentsLain''. In fact, you can find on Sourceforge.net the [[http://lainos.sourceforge.net LainOS Project,]] an (apparently abandoned) project to create an operating system with as much pizzazz as the computers from ''Serial Experiments Lain''.

[[folder: Literature]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* "[[LampshadeHanging Information]]": In the second episode of ''Series/BlakesSeven'', the computer Zen initially does not have any sort of display. When he realizes that "your species requires a visual reference point," he begins flashing lights on one wall in time to his speech."

--> '''Jeff:''' Go to "Settings".
--> '''Dean Pelton:''' Is that the volcano or the cobbler's workshop?
--> '''Jeff:''' It's the monastery.

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

[[folder: Real Life]]

* ''Anime/SerialExperimentsLain''. In fact, you can find on Sourceforge.net the [[http://lainos.sourceforge.net/ LainOS Project]], an (apparently abandoned) project to create an operating system with as much pizzazz as the computers from ''Serial Experiments Lain''.

* ''Film/JurassicPark'' shows a 3D computer interface that is actually a ''real'' program -- FSN (short for File System Navigator), a proof-of-concept file-system manager included with every SGI. (It's no longer available on SGI's site, but someone has made a similar program called [[http://fsv.sourceforge.net/ FSV]].) However, prior to the system reboot, what we see of the computers is a combination of specialized [=UIs=] and plain old command-line.

* This [[OlderThanTheyThink predates most fictional computers]]. For a public demonstration, the seminal [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ENIAC ENIAC]] (built circa 1945) had light bulbs wired up to internal circuits, so people could actually ''see'' it do arithmetic. [[JustifiedTrope Otherwise]], it would have meant starting at featureless equipment for minutes, just to have it [[AntiClimax print out a column of numbers]]. Due to TheCoconutEffect, subsequent fiction featured computers that used giant banks of light bulbs flashing on and off, for no particular reason. Hackers dubbed this "[[http://catb.org/jargon/html/B/blinkenlights.html blinkenlights]]".
* The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connection_Machine Connection Machines]], a line of supercomputers from the eighties, had a significant portions of their cases covered in huge grids of tiny red activity lights, put there for diagnostic use but also for [[RuleOfCool dramatic effect]].

** The [[http://www.compiz.org/ Compiz]] window manager, available for most Linux distributions, allows the user to install plugins to alter the appearance and behavior of most everything on their desktop. Some of these [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhHCl8j_RbU plugins]] are very [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6cQozuoS5I trippy]].

** [[http://www.auslogics.com/en/software/disk-defrag/ Third-party applications]] [[http://www.piriform.com/defraggler save the day]]!

This is TruthInTelevision as many home computers have blinking lights on them, mostly around the 'on' switch. And verbose modes and system monitors are bound to be used more than is 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 they're 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, usually corresponding to a code for what the device is doing and any errors that might pop up. The same goes for the system beeps when you start up your computer, which tell the user that their [=PC=] is indeed starting up correctly, without any circuitry issues or other problems like dead [=RAM=] or a misbehaving graphics card. In the tech world, this is known as POSTing, an acryonym of Power On Self Test.

This is TruthInTelevision as many home computers have blinking lights on them, mostly around the 'on' switch. And verbose modes and system monitors are bound to be used more than is 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 they're 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, usually corresponding to a code for what the device is doing and any errors that might pop up. The same goes for the system beeps when you start up your computer, which tell the user that their [=PC=] is indeed starting up correctly, without any circuitry issues or other problems like dead [=RAM=] or a misbehaving graphics card. In the tech world, this is known as Posting.