Module 11: Wargames Review

     Wargames, an old 1983 film about a young computer hacker/genius of the old generation that almost launches a full-scale nuclear attack on America. Let me just say that I really loved this film, even with it being so old. I normally don't like old movies, but this was some great stuff.
     The movie starts out with a killer opening scene in a missile silo for the Air Force. The two men are given instructions to launch a nuclear missile and they don't go through with it. This begins the investigation by the military on replacing the humans with a computer. This computer is supposed to eliminate the human intervention on tasks like this that could be difficult for a human to make. The computer that is positioned to perform these tasks is the WOPR (War Operation Plan Response).
     The way the WOPR gets introduced is as a "game" system that is programmed to use real evidence to plan different scenarios of war. When they originally show the machine they say that it has already played through the scenario of World War III. This machines gets placed into the military defense system with expectations that it will speed up the process  of launch different defense mechanisms for the military.
     After this system gets installed this young boy hacks into it while searching for a gaming server. It appears that it is accessed via old modem/phone frequencies that I am not familiar with (would love to learn more about it). He connects and, once he cracks the password, begins to play what he thinks is a game. The computers asks what game he wants to play and he chooses the worldwide biochemical war game. He initiates an attack from the Soviet Union on several cities in the United States still thinking that it was just a simulator.
     When he initiates this simulation the military gets warnings of the attack and all hell breaks loose! They eventually track him down and try to figure out how he got in. Using his experience with computers and signals he is able to break out of the room that they secure him in so that he can find a way to turn the game off.
     First off, the way that he is connecting to the servers in the beginning of the movie is very real. I have never actually seen it done myself, but I know that what he is doing is possible. I read the Steve Jobs Biography a while back and it talks a lot about what Steve and his early colleague would do with telephones. They can be hacked, and you can make free calls and do things like what the young kid is doing to connect. If you ask me, it's genius, especially for an older movie.
     As far as ridiculous parts, there is a part in the middle of the movie where it shows someone at the military base using a touch sensitive screen. It's unclear as to what they are doing but it appears that they are marking some sort of location of submarines. The computer has no visual indication of the touch, just an audio indication. It obvious that this technology is possible given what we have today with touchscreen tablets and phones, but back in '83, I don't think so!
     The only social or cultural issues that I think this film might have caused would be related to the trust of computers as replacements. Clearly it's been a questionable change for some time, and will always be one. Can we trust computers? Are they reliable enough to replace us? All great questions that many have asked and will continue to ask. This movie definitely will question our trust! Great flick!

Module 9: Dell Laptop, al-Qaeda and The Curse of Oil

     This part of the book really threw around some numbers that I was unaware of regarding Dell's laptop sales of 150,000 per day. How is that kind of a production even possible? Supply chaining. As I read the process of Dell's supply chain I was really blown away by the process that takes place when someone simply places an order on their website. Dell shops around enough to find the best deals for good quality parts and integrates them into their supply chain. The simple "assembly line" concept is one that I've always understood, but the supply chaining has never been one I've thought about.
     With dell laptops (and computers, in general) being so complex with 30 different customizable parts to each one -- it is impressive that Dell has it so mastered. It's seems like the exact definition of a "well-oiled machine!" If I can go onto one website and build a computer with my custom specifications and have it in-hand within a week, that is impressive. Last week I was able to order a Dell Laptop for work and the experience was very simple. As I was filling it out I thought of what I read in this book remembering all of the different parties involved to make my order happen. I haven't received the order yet, but fully plan on being blown away by what it took for them to acquire and build the laptop that I ordered.
     While Dell uses a supply chain to effectively build computers, al-Qaeda uses a supply chain to product individuals of mass destruction. The program is called the Virtual Caliphate. In essence, they use this system to produce the suicide bombers for al-Qaeda to take care of specific missions where an individual of that caliber is required. This supply chain system allows them to quickly find replacements when one goes dark, or as one "graduates" from the program. This system is clearly not as fine-tuned as Dell's laptop supply chain, but it is the same concept.
     The demand for oil continues. The supply is there, and if the cost increases we have to cover it and increase the individual cost that we pay. What about the countries that are pulling in all of the money, what is there situation like? Imagine this, you hold the key to oil for anyone in the world to purchase. The demand continues to increase due to the continued popularity of the gas-powered engine. With enough money in this country, why do you (as a country) need to grow? The money is there, and it's going to continue to come through as long as the oil keeps flowing. This is what they call the "curse of oil." It is a curse because the cultural society shuts down, and has no intention of improving as long as money keeps flowing in.
     With oil it is going to be interesting to see how it evolves. The electric car is definitely changing vehicle travel as we know it. Sales are increasing, and awareness is also. As people get more aware of this new alternative to oil they will realize that it's not an absolute necessity even more. I wonder how this curse will change when that happens, because it will most likely effect the countries with the most oiled. Maybe in the long run, it will help this "curse" sink!