the Tron-Microsoft parallel
 

ok, so I'm sure that someone else has noticed this before, but I have never seen it mentioned anywhere, so I thought I'd throw it out there. While watching a downloaded version of Tron the other day, I couldn't help noticing the following.


Tron: "evil" computer program called MCP (Master Control Program) that has a mind of its own, with needs and desires not necessarily in harmony with its user.

Microsoft: Windows

Tron: "evil" boss at huge corporation that created MCP

Microsoft: Bill Gates


I'm sure there is more, though that's all that springs to mind at the moment. Was Tron a glimpse at the future?

TRON was written and made in the early 80s if memory serves me. I'm not sure if anyone was worried about MS taking over the world at that time.

I'd venture to guess IBM was a better target or Big Business in general.

yes rubicon, I know. I was just suggesting the possibility of Tron being prophetic.

Tron's a great movie anyway (I have watched it a few times recently). I know some hackers these days who tell me that the first time they heard the word "hacking" used this way was Tron in the early 1980's. Of course, I was too young for that. :)

I think it's rather silly to say that the movie was prophetic, to be honest. I mean, monopolistic companies have existed for quite a long time (think oil, steel, and railroads in the late 1800's and early 1900's).

Don't forget that Microsoft actually issues a certification called the MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional).

I always thought of Microsoft as more like Skynet.

M$ *IS* similar to Skynet. Scary. And there are similarities between M$ and the Borg.

The name Cyberdyne systems has already been taken though (shame). Just checked, there are *lots* of companies calling themselves cyberdyne now. Idiots.

I don't see many Tron/MS parallels, but I do see lots of TRON/Matrix similiarities...