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Roadrunner is a $133 million computer used for classified military projects. Perhaps a $135 million computer will be able to find weapons of mass destruction.
How many conversations between a man and a computer have become cultural touchstones? By our count, one. Even folks who consider sci-fi a sort of geek plague that will instantaneously make you wear your pants three inches too high and utilize a Flowbee for your next haircut know that HAL doesn’t want to open the pod bay doors.
We can think of no other computer powerful enough to cause a grown man to do this:
Yes, Dr. Who was first, but Start Trek remains unquestionably the geek TV touchstone. And while the other machines on this list present a broad range of unique and previously unseen powers, we’re quite confident in our assessment that no other machine could possibly be more powerful than the rig that was powerful enough to power the ship that powered the show that powers a million geeks!
Something we left off the list? Enter your choices in the comments below.
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Keith E. Whisman
October 05, 2008 at 8:54pm
How about the Cylons from BattleStar Gallactica they were all computer controlled sentient robots.
Also I just got a RoboSapien from Wall Mart for 30bucks on sale so would he count.. He certainly is cool.
johnj
October 03, 2008 at 7:30pm
What about Colossus the super computer that tried to take over the world.
Colossus: The Forbin Project from 1970.
Shalbatana
October 01, 2008 at 8:25am
Was the tardis in the mag's print countdown? I don't remember seeing it. Nice that some of the computers listed have alternate explanations from the print mag too.
I would have to agree about Deep thought and the Earth.... wspecially since I'm not sure I'd count the tardis as a "computer" either. Still it's nice to see it turning up everywhere from time to time.
This list stuff is a great idea. Muy fun!
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"There's no time like the future."
Keith E. Whisman
September 30, 2008 at 8:30pm
Tony Stark in Iron Man has an awsome household and engineering computer system. Also I hear that Bill Gates has an awsome Household computer system with everything that money can buy. Even stuff that isn't available yet. His windows double as computer screens. It's awsome. I only know a little bit about his computerized house and the rest is speculation but it makes me hot to think about it.
Nick Burns
September 30, 2008 at 7:50pm
No mention of the computer that nearly killed Superman.
And let's not forget Braniac himself.
amacieli
September 30, 2008 at 5:46pm
Umm, skuze me, but what about Orac from Blake's 7?? That thing predated House by decades.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orac_(Blake%27s_7)
Athlonite
February 19, 2011 at 3:01am
haha I was about to say the same damn thing Orac and the libarators own battle computer Zen
lunchbox73
September 30, 2008 at 3:19pm
What about the Bat Computer in the Bat Cave? Now that thing was bad ass. Push a few random flashing buttons and a card pops out with the location of Joker's next crime. It was even labeled BAT COMPUTER in case it wasn't obvious.
It's been a while since I've watched but I'm pretty sure the Super Friends has a pretty sweet rig in the Hall of Justice too...
Scorponok
September 30, 2008 at 1:04pm
Um, how about Teletraan-1 from The Transformers, pretty bad ass computer in my book.
strykyr
September 30, 2008 at 12:15pm
The Knight Industries Two Thousand. It talk, it drives, it jumps, it has a built in ATM, it has x-ray vision. It can even turn off your alarm from your garage. It also plays video games with you. It had cell phone tech before the old bricks came out. It has not one but TWO displays. And it was your vary own doctor-friend-shrink-baby sitter-alarm clock-chaufer-bullet proof shield-jokester-portable tv. And he taught Topanga in Boy Meets World. Bonnie wasn't too hard to look at tho.
I have watched the new stuff. They ruined the turbo boost concept but not too bad.
As far as I know ALL those other computers couldn't handle getting shot...with the exception of the one in the Enterprise...but it shot back. And KITT was the only one that would get u laid....sure worked for the hoff.
neo1piv14
September 30, 2008 at 11:44am
Woah woah woah. Where is Deep Thought or Earth? The computers that could calculate that answer and the question (respectively) to the Great Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything! For shame, Max PC
