The computer makes no sense
A mysterious amount of time ago, I found a lovely site that shows computers seen or featured in TV shows and movies. Something about the computer being the star.
Alas, that site doesn't do a good job, because even this movie has more computers than the site shows - it basically only lists the Apple hardware, but what about that PS/2 upstairs? (I researched it, but forgot to write down the exact model, but you can find it easily with image search)
That PS/2 is the model that has 80386 CPU, as far as I know, so it's obsolete for its time, but WHAT THE HECK IS THAT THING ON TOP OF IT?!
That is a rare model of the original monitors that came with the first IBM PC!
Just put 'Original IBM PC' in image search, and you see variations of that monitor (though it's hard to find the exact one shown in the movie).
Now, do I have to go further? People should know by know what the problem is, right?
This monitor is UTTERLY incapable of showing most of the graphics modes that the PS/2 - even the earlier 286-based models - are capable of!
It's like buying a Lamborghini and then swapping its engine to an old lawnmower motor. What the heck?
Why would anyone buy a fancy (for its time) PS/2 and then bottleneck its capabilities (it should be able to do at least EGA, but VGA is very possible as well - EGA has 16 colors (sort of), whereas VGA can output 256 colors out of 262144 palette, both utilizing 320x200 resolution, although VGA can, if memory serves, utilize 640x480 with 16 colors) like that?
That monitor can't do anything better than CGA (4 horrible fixed colors in two different modes - with trickery and composite monitor, you can squeeze a bit more out of it, but it's not easy making color graphics for composite mode - I tried), possibly some sort of monochrome mode for text, and it's questionable, whether it can even do 320x200.
This monitor was meant for the original IBM PCs, so its capabilities were not even that fancy for its time (Most so-called eight-bit computers had better graphics capabilities).
What the heck is this archaic, anachronistic atrocity doing on top of a top-of-the-line PS/2 computer that was supposed to revolutionize how we see PCs?
Would you take a model T engine and put it in a fancy new car? Of friggin-course not!
Why is it that Hollyweird almost NEVER gets computers or computer stuff right? Such a SIMPLE thing, as in putting the era-appropriate contemporary monitor on top of a computer and THEY CAN'T EVEN DO THAT!
There must be about N+8 gazillion examples, but it's always so noticeable of you know anything about computers.
So they either put the WRONG monitor, or they put JUST the monitor, because hey, who needs the actual computer, right?
Just watch 'Two and a Half Men', one of the earlier episodes of season three, where Charlie goes to help.. well, 'help' Alan in Alan's office. I stared at the monitor and keyboard, trying to figure out where their cables go, and it looked like (not sure) the monitor doesn't even HAVE the cable connected that goes into the PC's graphics card.
It did have a power cord, though.. but where is the ACTUAL COMPUTER? No wonder Charlie rather turns on the LAMP rather than the computer (which could offer SO much more entertainment, even back in the day), because there IS no computer.
Why is this so common? Why do hollyweird people think that it's enough if there's a display device and a keyboard and possibly a mouse? Why can't they understand the computer is needed or it's all useless?
Sigh..nothing makes sense, no matter where you turn.