Ever notice how different computers are in the movies from real life? Movie computers are always more powerful, full of special features and can do anything in the matter of seconds... with the right person behind the keyboard.

For example, the movies have taught us that anyone can launch a nuclear missile if you know the password (War Games) and infecting the entire Internet with a devastating computer virus is as simple as typing "UPLOAD VIRUS" (Fortress). But these are just a couple examples.

Annoyances.org has assembled an extensive list of everything that's wrong with how computers are used in the movies. Here's some highlights from their list and a few of our own:

Computers in Movies: Fact vs Fiction

• Laptops, for some strange reason, always seem to have amazing real-time video phone capabilities and the performance of a CRAY Supercomputer (see Mission Impossible).
  
  
• Whenever a character looks at a computer monitor, the image is so bright that it projects itself onto his/her face (see Alien, 2001, Jurassic Park).
  
  
• If a surveillance photo/video is too blurry to see the license plate/suspect's face, just tell the nearest computer expert to "enhance" it. Seriously, it's that easy.
  
  
• Word processors never display a cursor.
  
  
• You can infect a computer with a destructive virus by simply typing "UPLOAD VIRUS" (see Fortress).
  
  
• All computers are connected. You can access the information on the villain's desktop computer, even if it's turned off.
  
  
• If something in the plot is unexplainable, just blame it on the Internet or someone's computer.
  
  
• Powerful computers beep whenever you press a key or whenever the screen changes. Some computers also slow down the output on the screen so that it doesn't go faster than you can read.
  
  
• The really advanced computers also emulate the sound of a dot-matrix printer when they display text. (See The Hunt For Red October or Alien)
  
  
• All computer panels have thousands of volts and flash pots just underneath the surface. Malfunctions are indicated by a bright flash, a puff of smoke, a shower of sparks, and an explosion that pushes you backwards (ie. every Star Trek movie).
  
  
• Any hacker can get into the most sensitive computer in the world before the scene is over and can guess the secret password in two tries.
  
  
• Any PERMISSION DENIED error has a secret backdoor around it (see Demolition Man).
  
  
• Complex calculations and loading of huge amounts of data can be accomplished in under 3 seconds.
  
  
• Movie modems and wireless connections usually appear to transmit data at the speed of 100 gigabytes per second.
  
  
• When the power plant/missile-site/whatever overheats, all the control panels will explode, as will the entire building.
  
  
• All monitors display inch-high letters so we can read it.
  
  
• No matter what kind of computer disk it is, it'll be readable by any system you put it into. All application software is usable by all computer platforms.
  
  
• Most computers, no matter how small, are able to produce reality-defying three-dimensional, active animation, photo-realistic graphics, with little or no detailed input from the user.
  
  
• One can issue any complex set of commands in a few keystrokes (see Star Trek).
  
  
• The internet connects to everything in the movies. You can edit credit records, search hotel registries, lookup police criminal files, search and edit drivers license databases, edit social security files and more just using the internet! (see The Net)
  
  
• Smashing the computer monitor prevents the whole system from working (see Speed).
  
  
• You can launch nuclear missiles from any bedroom using an analog modem, but only if you know a single secret password (see War Games).

This is just a taste. If you want to read the full list, please check out Annoyances.org.