> Hollywood IT proposes that people who know nothing about computers all "know" that every computer thing that has ever been invented is trivially interoperable with every other computer thing that has ever been invented on a fast hollywood movie timescale given a sufficiently advanced computer mage to recite some incantations and be treated as socially inferior if its a plot requirement. I think everyone here is experienced enough to laugh at that.
Yes, although the details are important.
On a theoretical scale without any time limits and any space limits, anything every invented is interoperable with every other computer every invented. Hollywood is not really wrong there but just tosses out the practical issues because of the rule of cool. And "no time and space limits" is just wishful thinking as every computer has those constraints.
Of course, trying to hook up a Mac to a alien computer for transferring a computer virus is not impossible. It's just highly unlikely to succeed within a few hours of preparation. But it would have made a less entertaining movie. ;-)
Yes, although the details are important.
On a theoretical scale without any time limits and any space limits, anything every invented is interoperable with every other computer every invented. Hollywood is not really wrong there but just tosses out the practical issues because of the rule of cool. And "no time and space limits" is just wishful thinking as every computer has those constraints.
Of course, trying to hook up a Mac to a alien computer for transferring a computer virus is not impossible. It's just highly unlikely to succeed within a few hours of preparation. But it would have made a less entertaining movie. ;-)