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4[[quoteright:350:[[Film/{{Hackers}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hackers13.jpg]]]]
5[[caption-width-right:350:"We got one person on-line but with the workload of 10 users. l think we got a hacker." ]]
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9
10->''"Since I'm such an advanced computer, I can make Pegasus's computer systems look like a really boring video game!"''
11-->-- '''Computer''', ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries''
12
13The opposite of OurGraphicsWillSuckInTheFuture is Extreme Graphical Representation, where every operation that takes place in the computer is represented by flashy, often "futuristic" animations on the screen. These fantastic light shows have no connection to whatever might be taking place, and real computer professionals invariably find them impractical and implausible. Does anyone seriously think that a computer has to flash a picture of each fingerprint in the database on its screen while it's searching for a match?
14
15This 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.
16
17This 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 [[ExactProgressBar 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.
18
19The above is also the underlying reason why cybernetic funds are transferred gradually in a process that can be seen on-screen, aka PiecemealFundsTransfer. See also: ViewerFriendlyInterface, TheAestheticsOfTechnology, BeepingComputers, BillionsOfButtons
20
21Not to confuse with [[LudicrousGibs the other kind of ]][[{{Gorn}} "graphic" representation]].
22----
23!!Examples
24
25[[foldercontrol]]
26
27[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
28* ''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''.
29* An extreme example of this is Chisame's artifact in ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi''. She's a hacker to begin with, so her artifact lets her actually enter the computer system, ''Tron''-style, for super-hacking. Some of the extreme graphics include viruses that look like jellyfish, MagicalGirl anti-virus programs (actually two of her classmates dragged into the computer with her), and ClothingDamage to represent data being destroyed. This is based on the computer representations in Akamatsu's earlier ''Manga/AILoveYou''.
30* Ed of ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' fame utilizes some rather trippy fish decor on whatever terabyte, terahertz-chugging OS she uses. But [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} she's just like that.]]
31* While the [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion original series]] has some flashy displays, ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'' has super orgasmovision 5D [[MotionParallax 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.
32* In the ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' movie ''Lagann-hen'', [[spoiler: Lordgenome]] does some [[HollywoodHacking HAACKIIIIING]] into the [[spoiler: Anti-Spiral-controlled Cathedral Lazengann to find its blueprints]]. This is represented onscreen by him running through and annihilating a long series of brick walls in a corridor connecting the two ships, finding the space it was stored on, breaking a box holding it with his head and eating what was inside. [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment Yes.]] Apparently this was not just for the benefit and amusement of the audience either, as the other characters are also looking on with the same confused face as the viewers themselves.
33* On ''Anime/YuGiOh'', when Kaiba hacks into Pegasus' domain, a firewall shows a toon rabbit saying "Hey, Kaiba. Hey, Kaiba." Yes, Pegasus is obsessed with cartoons.
34** One of the sequel series, ''Anime/YuGiOhVrains'' zigzags it. The CGI graphics are used when someone's hacking is meant to excite the audience, but in scenes where hacking takes a backseat there's noticeably more documents of programming code.
35[[/folder]]
36
37[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
38* 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.
39[[/folder]]
40
41[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
42* ''Film/JurassicPark1993'' 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.
43* In ''Film/TheMatrix'':
44** ''Real world'' computers use the flashy scrolling green characters of the "Matrix code", but in the virtual world, to the glee of many ''security analysts'', a [[http://nmap.org/movies.html real hacking program]] was used.
45** This trope is averted 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.
46* ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'': Averted with Zion Traffic Control being depicted as several people jacked into a dedicated simulation that is rendered in minimalist undistracting black-on-white lineart.
47* Various spaceship displays in ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey''. Usually these alternate between animated vector graphics and readouts of math equations. Bonus points because the screens are actually projected onto Bowman's face when he's in the pod, so that the audience can see what the computer is doing, as if it were just reflected in the faceplate of his helmet [[spoiler:when he's wearing one]].
48* In ''Film/MinorityReport'', the gestural interface reacts instantaneously to a variety of hand motions, has [[HolographicTerminal several layers of transparency]], and actually appears relatively easy to use. Also justified, as the only work we see it heavily used for is sorting through the precogs visions. It's actually based on one in development, and you can find videos of it working in real life.
49* ''Film/EnemyOfTheState'': Every computer screen seen in the movie has blatantly unnecessary bits of video, animated images, and scrolling text visible.
50* ''Film/{{Hackers}}'' is filled to the brim with this trope.
51** The best part is when one of the hackers is browsing the corporate database by flying through whizzing algorithms and through a grid of giant reflective monoliths that represent different sectors of data. Then when he saves the junk file to his floppy disc, it is later viewed on a home computer in exactly the same browsing manner.
52** Seeing how whenever a non-POV character uses a computer, they use a plain-looking OS (it's a bit hard to catch on [[RewatchBonus your first watch]]), it might even be {{Handwaved}} as some sort of hybrid between RuleOfCool, TheRashomon and RuleOfPerception, as that's probably how the OS looks [[FridgeBrilliance to the experienced hackers]]. The movie also takes place when the 14.4 kbps modem was standard, although one computer is said to have a 28.8 kbps modem. This means all these cool graphics are streamed across a 14.4 kbps connection on computers with processors slower than 100 [=MHz=] and with less than four MB of RAM.
53* Used quite noticeably in ''Film/Transformers2007''--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.
54* ''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.
55* Hugh Jackman building his worm in ''Film/{{Swordfish}}''. Watching 9 monitors' worth of text in what is most likely an assembler while he compiles the various components would be boring, but [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autocad autocad]]? Really? Yes, it technically has applications in programming languages like LISP and C++, but unless he's making a pretty, user-friendly interface for his cash-grabbing super-virus, there doesn't seem much point.
56* ''Film/QuantumOfSolace'' has the [=MI6=] facility equipped with gigantic multitouch screens on every surface, thus enabling it to completely replicate the functionality of... folders, noticeboards and sheets of paper.
57* ''Franchise/StarWars'' gets more into this trope the further it gets into the franchise (as real-world technology and budgets improve). In ''Film/ANewHope'', the schematic of the bombing run on the Death Star, shown to the rebel fleet, is barely Atari-quality; amazingly, the Special Edition doesn't update this. By the time ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' rolled around, the rebels were watching fully animated 3D renderings of the new Death Star orbiting Endor. And of course, there's the fancy CGI that the prequel trilogy has to work with.
58** Some interesting footage of the work process behind creating the animated trench run effect can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMeSw00n3Ac here]]. It's amazing what a 70s-era computer, some dials and a graphics tablet can achieve.
59** The prequel series is supposed to be much better technologically than the original series, so having that kind of stuff might be FridgeBrilliance.
60%%* Lampshaded in ''Film/DateNight''.
61* ''Film/{{S1m0ne}}'': The interface for the [=S1m0ne=] program, which features floating menus, Simone's head forming out of a spiral on every boot-up and a matrix of actress headshots from which Viktor samples vocal affectations. When Viktor [[spoiler: infects the program with a virus, Simone's face erodes away into tiny pixels that blow away like wind in the sand.]]
62* ''Film/IronMan'' shows Tony Stark designing and constructing his Iron Man armour using a high-tech and very cool-looking holographic interface/simulation system. Mind you, this is for a program that Stark fully intends to be inaccessible and unusable by anyone else on Earth.
63* ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' continues the tradition, with mostly Stark using holographic interfaces to read information. Bruce uses a bit, as well. It's justified, since the SHIELD computers (while high-security) are intended to be useful to a group with varying degrees of system familiarity, not just to the original programmer.
64* In the 1985 movie ''Film/WeirdScience'', Wyatt uses a computer program, "Crypto Smasher v3.10", that provides a very detailed (for the time) graphical representation of the [[HollywoodHacking hacking]] he is doing to break into a military computer system. The connections are all rendered as tunnels, with the mainframe itself appearing as a vast space with CGI versions of images from the opening sequence of ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959''.
65%%* ''Film/{{Tron}}'', all of it.
66%% * ''Film/TheHungerGames'': The Gamemasters' control room, to a ludicrous degree.
67* A subtler version appears in ''Film/TheFly1986'': The computer that controls the telepods runs simple lines of English text reflecting commands and processes, and a jumble of meaningless-to-the-viewer combinations of letters and numbers appears when an actual teleportation sequence takes place to represent the computer disintegrating and reintegrating the object/being that is sent through. The one fancy stretch appears when Seth, desperate to know why his body is beginning to disintegrate, has the computer run through what happened when he went through in hopes of identifying the "secondary teleportation element" that accompanied him. This results in a series of images working from the genetic level upward, effectively zooming out, to provide him the InternalReveal that it was a housefly.
68[[/folder]]
69
70[[folder:Literature]]
71* Very unusual example on the written page in ''Literature/TheAlgebraist'': "A wild blur of holos and glowing fields filled the volume in front of the creature as it checked through the Voehn ship's systems, blistering quickly."
72* One could argue that the whole premise of hacking as represented in ''{{Literature/Neuromancer}}'' is vastly overdone. That is, not the virtual reality interface itself, but why would someone trying to crack the system need to do so within the constrained UI? This flawed paradigm extends to spiritual descendants, such as ''VideoGame/BeyondASteelSky''.
73[[/folder]]
74
75[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
76%% * In ''Series/{{V2009}}'' series, the Visitor holographic computers are like this.
77* No computer on ''Series/TwentyFour'' operates without flashy, explanatory graphics.
78* Computer screens on ''Series/{{Andromeda}}'' are filled with scrolling text and rotating graphics, none of which appears to mean anything, and seems to make it difficult or impossible to see what's really going on. There is also a 3D "virtual universe" humans can use VR goggles to tap into, and AI's can visit by touching a screen, that resembles a city made out of computer code, holographic circuit diagrams, and 1010110's. The fact it's all in a [[{{Fictionary}} fictional language]] instead of English doesn't help matters.
79* ''Series/MaxHeadroom'', in which the System (i.e. what in RealLife would come to be the Internet) generally looks either like a [[OurGraphicsWillSuckInTheFuture crude wireframe mockup of the real world]], or alternatively, like [[HilariousInHindsight a series of tubes]].
80* ''Franchise/StarTrek'' loves this trope.
81** [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries TOS]] has equipment ''covered'' with lights that blink and cycle, but no apparent labels or other way for the crew to identify which light meant what.
82*** This is parodied on [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Voyager]], when The Doctor plays with a '''golf ball''' that is covered in blinking lights.
83*** Also parodied in Creator/WilliamShatner's scenes in ''Film/AirplaneIITheSequel'', where crew members on the lunar base explain how they've been investigating equipment which has lots of blinking lights and nothing else, and they have not been able to figure out what it actually ''does''.
84** The later shows have smooth black panels, backlit with meaningless blinking lights. They do have labels, but close shots reveal most of them are just random numbers and letters. Some of the panels contain in-jokes or even Easter eggs (e.g. the Enterprise-D Master Systems Display in engineering.)
85*** Creator/WilWheaton says that he assigned meanings and functions to the buttons on his LCARS touchscreen. (He ''is'' JustForFun/OneOfUs.) Years later, when the Enterprise-D set was on tour and open to the public, he was able to sit down at his (character's) console and remember most of the commands he'd invented.
86*** 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 a "skin" for a Windows-like interface, but actually implements the real LCARS interface (with touch-screens!). The fake TV future is here!
87*** [[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?
88*** 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.
89* 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."
90%% * Parodied in [[http://www.somethingawful.com/d/feature-articles/ditch-your-os.php this]] ''Website/SomethingAwful'' article about "[=MoFOS=]" (Movie Fake Operating System).
91* ''Series/{{CSI}}'' seems to love showing computers with a ludicrous, unnecessary graphic interface.
92* ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' to some extent, where the idea appears to be to take a screensaver and run it as the desktop wallpaper.
93** Various supplementary media (like the website) have stated that Torchwood's computer is some sort of alien being hooked into their system instead of having any kind of CPU. The spiralling, tentacle-like screensaver running in the background is meant to represent the creature's new virtual body as it manipulates a VR environment. When they access the server outside the hub in ''Children of Earth'', the desktop appears. Of course, there is no reason the characters would have to see what the creature sees...
94* ''Series/{{Profit}}'' has an overblown 3D/avatar system to navigate its corporate network, although it's unclear if this is the actual interface or just represents what the users are doing with it.
95* Justified in an episode of ''Series/NUMB3RS'', where a computer scientist hides the fact that his artificial intelligence computer is a fraud by creating a very elaborate and impressive-looking computer room and interface.
96* In ''Series/CSIMiami'', the team has a really awesome touch-screen and almost holographic interface, straight out of ''Film/MinorityReport''.
97* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'': Cylon Baseships have [[HolographicTerminal holographic]] screens that [[MatrixRainingCode constantly flow and display pseudo-Chinese characters]] on their natural state. When a ship is heavily damaged, the screens begin to flicker rapidly. Guess humanoid Cylons are immune to epilepsy. Possibly justified based on the fact that all serious interaction between the crew and the ship occurs via a direct brain link to the ship's systems; therefore, the screens are only useful for at-a-glance status reports for those members not currently mindlinked to the data stream.
98* ''Series/{{Bones}}'', with every computer that will be used to aid the investigation. Especially the holographic display. Averted for product placement (every smartphone is a Windows smartphone, every PC is a Windows PC).
99** At least partly [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in that Angela programmed and designed most of the systems herself (meaning they are one of a kind) - and being an artist, would be likely to make them fancy.
100* ''Series/DiagnosisMurder'' has an episode where someone is cyberhacking Amanda for some reason. Jesse calls in his nerd squad to help. They use a search program, represented onscreen as a weasel or possibly a ferret, to find the home computer. When the search program is neutralised, the weasel is electrocuted and falls down dead. Amusing, but pointless.
101* All over the place in ''Series/StargateSG1'' and ''Series/StargateAtlantis''. Sometimes the crazy graphics are actually the language of an alien species, which someone is always able to translate with minimal difficulty.
102** On the other hand, frequently averted, particularly in ''Atlantis'' and later seasons of ''SG-1'': many of the computers work on perfectly ordinary Windows.
103** They frequently use tablet laptops even when it doesn't make sense, such as when reprogramming an alien system. Imagine trying to type code with one hand on a virtual keyboard while holding the same screen (much heavier than an [=iPad=]) with the other hand. Then there's the issue of battery life for the same tablets.
104* In ''Series/{{Community}}'', the Dean invests in a virtual reality operating system whose interface makes him feel godlike and blinds him to the fact that doing anything with the system is absurdly time-consuming and removes basically all the advantages of using a computer in the first place.
105-->'''Jeff:''' Go to "Settings".\
106'''Dean Pelton:''' Is that the volcano or the cobbler's workshop?\
107'''Jeff:''' It's the monastery.
108* ''Series/ATouchOfCloth'' parodies it when DC Asap Qureshi shows Jack and Anne a ridiculously graphical supercomputer hologram display in the computer lab, which he describes as "the most melodramatic operating system in the world".
109[[/folder]]
110
111[[folder:Video Games]]
112* Many modern video games have all sorts of flashing, rotating icons, blinking window popups, scrolling transitions, and all that sort of graphical pizzazz. These are real, actual user interfaces; the effects are somewhat moderate, but are still flashy.
113* ''VideoGame/{{Uplink}}'' has a slightly more low-key (but still flashy) interface. Of course, the game is a simulation of the Hollywood version of hacking, so something would be amiss if it had a realistic interface. It does take place in the year 2010, letting it off some of its crimes. It also notes--in a hidden computer you can hack into--that the ''really'' extreme graphical representation of ''Johnny Mnemonic'', while being "hilariously inaccurate", would be fantastic for ''Uplink 2: TERMINAL'' (not in development).
114* ''Franchise/MassEffect'', both in-game and its user interfaces. Starting a new game uses the in-game fiction of sending your name and a photo over a secure tunnel connection and has a flashy loading screen.
115* The {{cutscene}}s in ''VideoGame/{{Syndicate}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Syndicate}} Wars'' show you sitting before a futuristic holographic interface at your desk in an airship, so the menus depict this interface with much beeping and whooshing.
116* Averted in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'', as computer and mobile phone interfaces for most parts look pretty lifeless, like in real life. The [=PDA=] interface in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoChinatownWars'' is closer to playing the trope straight, but is still rather modest against other examples of this trope.
117* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'', 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.
118* ''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.
119* Inverted in ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}''. The computer banks seen during the game appear to run a form of DOS that occasionally displays images in ASCII art. Lampshaded in the accompanying Aperture Science site; one of the workers complains about having to run an obsolete OS from the early 80s when the guys in charge get state-of-the-art graphics. (Note: said OS is [=GLaDOS=].)
120* ''VideoGame/NetZone'' runs on this, with Newton Winters having to use a [[BrainComputerInterface neural interface]] to access the Genecys Zone, a VR-type environment where each of Cycorp's departments appears as massive 3D worlds. The player travels between them using virtual vehicles, and actions range from large glowing buttons, to using a virtual PDA to control Cycorp's systems. Even before he jacks in, Newton's laptop is full of random flashing graphics on-screen.
121* Very frequent in the entire ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'' series, both in cinematics and during gameplay.
122* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'', [[{{Retraux}} of all things]], has ExtremeGraphicalRepresentation when you create a new world. Rather than having you go grab a drink while the game silently goes through the lengthy worldgen process, you get to watch as rivers and lakes form, mountains erode, and civilizations rise and fall, and yes, you see the failed world generations too. Though you'll probably go and grab a drink anyway, because it's only really impressive the first time.
123* ''[[VideoGame/DotHackGUGames .hack]]'' is an interesting example. There is quite a bit of standard fare in the game within the game, what with inactive virus data looking like crystals and the game's code being visible behind "cracks" in the graphics of glitched areas, but the main characters' desktops (which you visit whenever you log off) look believable enough, if more limited than an actual desktop.
124** In ''G.U.'', the protagonists get to go behind the scenes and explore [[ExtremeGraphicalRepresentation extremely graphical architecture]] of ''The World'''s servers - Area Hacking - and sometimes stumble across one of [[http://dothack.wikia.com/wiki/Harald%27s_Rooms Harald's Rooms]]. The hidden areas behind accessible game areas seem excessively complicated, while the actual server management areas are uncomfortably simplistic. This also means that everything in the server is part of the MMO.
125* The entirety of ''VideoGame/RayCrisis'' is a hacker's attempt to subdue an evil AI, done in shmup form.
126%% * The whole point of ''VideoGame/{{Rez}}''.
127* Virus Busting in the series ''VideoGame/MegamanBattleNetwork'' could be seen as a graphical representation of Operators constantly inputting new code in order to delete the viruses, which is constantly evolving, thus requiring the new code.
128* The Platform/SharpX68000 version of ''VideoGame/FantasticNightDreamsCotton'' makes [=LEDs=] on the keyboard light up in time to the music.
129* ''VideoGame/SoulHackers'' features this in some cutscenes. Especially visible [[http://youtu.be/vaYY63YEltI?t=27m24s here]] ('''contains spoilers'''), where a mouse cursor is shown moving in three dimensions and poking at a prism in order to access a file. After the file is hacked, the view flies through a bunch of purple lights and machine parts before reaching a big tower with SYSTEM written on it, in which a group of more prisms arranged in yet another large prism shape is found. The top prism unfolds, and one of the faces extends into a green line from which an old Macintosh-style drop-down menu appears.
130* ''VideoGame/VectorThrust'' and its briefing cutscenes that involve a ridiculous login sequence with system diagnostics and TechnoBabble scrolling up the side of the screen on par with ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' standards. [[NoBudget Apparently these are made in Powerpoint.]]
131* This is justified in ''VideoGame/SamAndMaxHitTheRoad'' because Conroy Bumpus connected his security system to his VR gaming system. Thus, once Sam gets his paws on the headset, he's able to disable the security by wrecking a digital environment.
132[[/folder]]
133
134[[folder:Western Animation]]
135* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', some of the characters use a virtual reality version of the internet. They decide to do a search, so they all shade their eyes, squint, and look around in the distance. This particular episode has many more examples.
136* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' features Tigatron hacking the Predacon computer, which looks more like him playing a virtual reality game. It even has him using those motion sensing gloves.
137[[/folder]]
138
139[[folder:Real Life]]
140* 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."]]
141* 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]].
142** The front panel of a real CM was used as the backdrop of the "control room" in ''Film/JurassicPark''.
143* The menu screen of the ''Anime/ExcelSaga'' Volume 4 [=DVD=] is a confusing cacophony of multicolored flashing lights, glowing circles, and Excel's screaming, spinning head. It actually requires practice to navigate (hint: the glowing ''green'' circle is your cursor).
144* 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:
145** The "animated hourglass", "spinning beachball", "ticking watch", "running dog", and similar cursors on both Mac and Windows.
146** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Throbber Throbbers]] of all sorts.
147** 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.
148*** The funny thing is, you'll find out the that this is really an AVI video file.
149** The "progress bar" at the bottom of internet browser windows. For most operations, it just advances at programmed time intervals. This is especially JustForFun/{{egregious}} since a progress bar is supposed to ''indicate progress''.
150*** This is necessary, because predicting the actual time to load a page has been impossible since embedded pictures came along, and modern web pages can involve dozens of files which aren’t known in advance. Safari 4 replaced the progress bar with a simpler waiting/loading/done indicator, party for this reason, but Safari 5 reintroduced it after [[TheCoconutEffect people complained]].
151** Most progress bars are pretty awful. Either they advance quickly and then freeze at 99% where they do all the work, or they seem to work fine but reset themselves at the end and go on to another operation (for example, MSI packages for Windows tend to work this way. Also it's ruthlessly parodied in ''Film/OfficeSpace''), raising the question of what exactly the designers thought they were supposed to be there for.
152** For the matter, the hard drive activity light. While useful back when computers really only did one thing at a time and unreliable, modern computers and their software tend to always be doing something - usually completely unrelated to what the user is doing.
153*** They are now again quite useful for solid state disk, due to the lack of auditory feedback. Otherwise, you just wouldn't ''know'' when it's the disk that slows your system to a crawl.
154*** Not that you need to worry much about that anyway when you have a solid-state disk.
155** 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.]]
156** One third-party program for managing a proprietary archive format[[note]]a program that opened and created files used only by one very specific piece of software[[/note]] demonstrated why this is so common: when told to create a new file, it would not display anything. Not even a little window saying "Creating file". It would only display a message upon ''completing'' the file. Some users of the software thought it was broken or had stalled, when in fact the file was large enough that the operation wasn't done instantly. In other words, the program worked perfectly, but some thought it was broken, because of lack of feedback, meaningless or otherwise.
157* Parodied by Creator/StephenColbert, who described defragmenting your hard drive: "A program where your computer moves a bunch of rectangles around to make you feel better." Tragically, Vista's defragger has lost the colored rectangles, and 7's didn't bring them back.
158** [[http://www.auslogics.com/en/software/disk-defrag/ Third-party applications]] [[http://www.piriform.com/defraggler save the day!]]
159* It's been said on a ''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.
160* There was a brief fad for creating ExtremeGraphicalRepresentation user interfaces in the mid-Nineties to replace Windows 95 for new computer users, as it was thought this would be easier to get used to. They typically took the form of representing the computer as a house, with different rooms holding work/productivity programmes, games, kids' stuff and so on. Two examples are Microsoft Bob (one of Microsoft's [[OldShame most embarrassing failures]]) and Packard Bell's Navigator.
161* Most routers have an activity light to indicate that they are transmitting or receiving something. Many older ones did this simply by wiring an LED into the transmit circuit. The actual 1s and 0s of the bitstream were far too fast to be seen by humans, but were decodable by pointing a high-speed camera at the light, giving a way to tap the wire without being near the wire, and avoiding most of the security systems in existence. Modern routers generally don't have the LED on the actual circuit anymore, but some home models might still do this.
162** It was even worse than that. At low data rates, the signal can be decoded by a photocell. Decent equipment can read it from over. Attempts to mask the signal put out by the light by stretching the highs still have recovery rates of up to 80%, more then enough to decode plain text. Of course, there is a simple fix with some tape. Modern equipment, with transmission rates of 10 billion bytes/sec is not capable of this, as the light would only be a dull blur to humans, so the activity light is faked.
163* The animated UI we see in fiction might be becoming more common - have you used an iPhone lately?
164* The trope [[ZigZaggedTrope zig-zags]] itself in real life. More tech-savvy users know that these additions typically ''decrease'' performance, and the ideal digital workstation has little clutter and animation. There are large numbers of third-party fixes that take these off for most operating systems. Thus, the simpler ones are seen among that group as ''more'' advanced. Yet, most only know enough about computers to judge by what the screen tells them, so the larger market prefers the flashier ones.
165** Of course, some people fail to do the research and choose the ugliest option available regardless of whether it's actually faster that way or not.
166** The ideal working environment getting described as this: "One background pic and twelve xterms".
167** The Unity desktop environment, as used by Ubuntu, is a notorious example that has developed a considerable {{Hatedom}} among techies. The ''embedded keyword advertising'' didn't help either.
168*** Gnome 3.0 adopted a similar interface to Unity. No need to guess how well that turned out.
169*** Also, a sheer amount of vitriol aimed at Windows 8 targets the "Metro" UI.
170* Computers controlling critical systems will often avert this since fancy animations often take up critical computer resources, and you do ''not'' want critical systems for, say, space missions or nuclear reactors slowing or worse freezing during an emergency.
171** Many of the computers actually offload all or almost all of the display to the internal computing power of these displays. The core system spends most of its time evaluating the programs in memory. The actual controllers either update the displays memory at some point during the program and read the data from the display in at the appropriate point, or if it is sufficiently important, tie an interrupt to these changes and deal with them as needed. That said, the most popular options to program these things are in a sense extreme graphical representations, with function block diagram (essentially looks like a flowchart), and ladder logic (which is a direct substitute for logical circuit diagrams used with relay logic) being standard.
172* Several cleaning and optimization apps nowadays have this kind of interface. It makes sense - for non-tech-savvy users, apps like this seem much more "reliable" and "useful" than ones with simple designs. Plus it gives the user something to look at while they wait for the program to do whatever cleaning and optimizing it's doing.
173[[/folder]]

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