Linux mentioned on mainstream TV during prime-time - who said writer strikes are bad?

[sajro]

Someone at CBS inserted a blatant free publicity mention of Linux in Criminal Minds (Nov 21 '07). The guy at the computer says "It's completely Linux-based!"

He does inaccurately say he's surprised that the government's computer has Linux and all OSS. The US Federal government does not use Microsoft products due to security and antitrust issues. They use Linux (the NSA developed SELinux).

I have seen Linux on this network's shows before but never has it been verbally mentioned. I predict a few million viewers googling "linux" pretty soon. ;)

[Darkhack]

I've seen stuff similar to this before. In The Matrix Reloaded when Trinity is hacking into the power grid on her laptop, you can see that she uses nmap which is typically a Linux program. I've also seen KDE on a couple of shows where they showed a computer monitor. I can't think of which show it was, but I definitely remember seeing KDE and was excited. On CNBC (economy/stock market network) when they talk about tech companies they mention Linux from time to time. I really do feel like a nerd for getting excited when seeing Linux on television, but it really is awesome to see *any* type of technology that is non-mainstream (non-MS) on television.

[bruce89]

Rather odd, as the 25,000,000 people's account details story over here usually has a "hacker" who shows how easy it is to crack passwords. Both the ITV and BBC ones appeared to be using some kind of UNIX (one had GNOME even).

[sajro]

I saw it in the movie Die Hard 4 also. Several [hundred] times. Everything from GNOME to Blackbox as far as GUIs.

There was also graffiti on CSI:Miami (or NY, can't remember) in the shape of the Debian Etch.

[PNSmith]

Rather odd, as the 25,000,000 people's account details story over here usually has a "hacker" who shows how easy it is to crack passwords. Both the ITV and BBC ones appeared to be using some kind of UNIX (one had GNOME even).

I bet he was fat and blurred out, with his tower on the floor. I've seen that same fat dude on every uk hacking program, it's hilarious.

[prizrak]

Someone at CBS inserted a blatant free publicity mention of Linux in Criminal Minds (Nov 21 '07). The guy at the computer says "It's completely Linux-based!"

He does inaccurately say he's surprised that the government's computer has Linux and all OSS. The US Federal government does not use Microsoft products due to security and antitrust issues. They use Linux (the NSA developed SELinux).

I have seen Linux on this network's shows before but never has it been verbally mentioned. I predict a few million viewers googling "linux" pretty soon. ;)

Ummm.... Sorry but you are wrong. The federal government makes heavy use of Windows computers as both workstations and servers. Several ships of the US Navy use Windows NT with SmartShip application for their main computer management system.


I've seen stuff similar to this before. In The Matrix Reloaded when Trinity is hacking into the power grid on her laptop, you can see that she uses nmap which is typically a Linux program.
Trinity uses a real SSH vulnerability to take over the power plant's control system. It appears to be more UNIX than Linux on the server though. It's not really accurate anyway since power grids use specialized real time OS's for monitoring as UNIX or Linux would be too slow for their particular requirements.

I've also seen KDE on a couple of shows where they showed a computer monitor. I can't think of which show it was, but I definitely remember seeing KDE and was excited.
A huge number of shows and movies uses it because it's different. In Antitrust every single computer that is shown (aside from Macs) uses Gnome :)

On CNBC (economy/stock market network) when they talk about tech companies they mention Linux from time to time.
Just as a side note, CNBC gets their feeds from UNIX servers, that the team I work for happens to support :)

[Nunu]

Ummm.... Sorry but you are wrong. The federal government makes heavy use of Windows computers as both workstations and servers. Several ships of the US Navy use Windows NT with SmartShip application for their main computer management system.

Gunnie: Captain there is something strange on the radar

Captain: Is it Russian?

Gunnie: No sir, i think we are scanning the ocean surface everything seems very blue at the moment.

Captain: Reboot Radar!

Crew: REBOOT RADAR AI SIR!

[adamklempner]

I remember catching this one myself when they aired it:

NBC's "Hero's":
http://www.eikehein.com/kde/heroes/

http://www.eikehein.com/kde/heroes/kde-on-heroes3.png

[The Grum]

@Bruce89:

I saw that report on ITV. They zoomed in on the screen, which clearly showed the GNOME top panel and the Ubuntu logo on his wallpaper. It had a couple of transparent terminals open and the compiz flames all along the bottom of the screen. Obviously they had to make it look l33t and h4x0r-ish.

Sadly, I cant find a picture or video of it.

[PmDematagoda]

I once saw KDE being used on a PC in the TV series Heroes, the system was made to look a lot like Windows, but you cannot mistake the desktop environment to be anything other than KDE, if you look carefully ofcourse:).

[qazwsx]

http://jriddell.org/24-kde.html
Jack Bauer likes KDE :lolflag:

[eyezen]

My wife and I were watching CM together when that scene came on I started chuckling to myself, my wife asked what was so funny, I just said you wouldn't understand.

My all time favorite Hollywood reference is when Jeff GoldBlum's character not only telnets into but uploads a virus into an ALIEN spacecraft in ID4. Who knew TCP/IP was THAT universal.

[hanzomon4]

I remember catching this one myself when they aired it:

NBC's "Hero's":
http://www.eikehein.com/kde/heroes/

http://www.eikehein.com/kde/heroes/kde-on-heroes3.png

Nice, but a little blurry....:biggrin:

[prizrak]

My wife and I were watching CM together when that scene came on I started chuckling to myself, my wife asked what was so funny, I just said you wouldn't understand.

My all time favorite Hollywood reference is when Jeff GoldBlum's character not only telnets into but uploads a virus into an ALIEN spacecraft in ID4. Who knew TCP/IP was THAT universal.

Haha YES!! From the Mac no less ;) Not to mention that it took him a few hours to find a vulnerability in the ship's OS. Must have been running Windows Smart Mother Ship (TM) :)

[Lostincyberspace]

Linux is used a lot on TV since you don't need permission and its free.

[akiratheoni]

I remember catching this one myself when they aired it:

NBC's "Hero's":
http://www.eikehein.com/kde/heroes/

http://www.eikehein.com/kde/heroes/kde-on-heroes3.png

OMG! Is that a naked gurl in the bg!?!

[Lostincyberspace]

OMG! Is that a naked gurl in the bg!?!

no she is wearing underwear.

[LaRoza]

There is UNIX is Jurassic Park, not quite Linux, but close enough.

[akiratheoni]

no she is wearing underwear.

Well she's nearly naked. Lol.

But I still think that's pretty cool to see Linux on mainstream TV... I only see Macs on movies and shows.

[clash]

My wife and I were watching CM together when that scene came on I started chuckling to myself, my wife asked what was so funny, I just said you wouldn't understand.

My all time favorite Hollywood reference is when Jeff GoldBlum's character not only telnets into but uploads a virus into an ALIEN spacecraft in ID4. Who knew TCP/IP was THAT universal.

He telnets ? No ssh ? :)

How does he find their ip address ?

Yeah Independence Day was probably the biggest load of crap for many reasons, not least of all the alien compatible with our IT stuff.

[D-EJ915]

Ummm.... Sorry but you are wrong. The federal government makes heavy use of Windows computers as both workstations and servers. Several ships of the US Navy use Windows NT with SmartShip application for their main computer management system.Federal gov't doesn't mean military though :P I remember playing minesweeper on NT back in mid-90s on Navy computers :lolflag: good times.

[Presto123]

OMG! Is that a naked gurl in the bg!?!

Hahaha...the ONLY person to mention it.

Ohhhh...that girl is so freaking hot too. I can never remember her real name but...ooooh.

[akiratheoni]

Hahaha...the ONLY person to mention it.

Ohhhh...that girl is so freaking hot too. I can never remember her real name but...ooooh.

Dang it! I want to know, too! :-P

[graabein]

Boys will be boys :-) It's Ali Larter if I'm not mistaking... Link (http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0813715/NUP_110031_0222.jpg.html)

[popch]

OMG! Is that a naked gurl in the bg!?!

Why do mention the bg only? She's also on display at the right hand side.

[sajro]

There is UNIX is Jurassic Park, not quite Linux, but close enough.

I like the fact that the little 12-year-old girl can *just like that* not only use UNIX but adapt to the custom-made program to control the entire park.

[plb]

I like the fact that the little 12-year-old girl can *just like that* not only use UNIX but adapt to the custom-made program to control the entire park.

That's actually a real program afaik...I forget the name but it's some sort of 3d file manager from years ago.

[bash]

pld AFAIK it was made for the movie and then released to the public afterwards.

Well you spot Linux on shows quite often. Once nothing better was on on TV so I had to watch Ghost whisperer (terrible show imo). But one of the characters was running a GNOME desktop. And in Supernatural in one episode the younger brother has a laptop and thats running GNOME as well.

[diesel1]

I watched a film, Copycat, with Sigourney Weaver using some kind of *nix, running terminals in a gui.

Diesel1.

[banjobacon]

What has this got to do with the strike?

[diesel1]

OT!

Diesel1.

[sajro]

What has this got to do with the strike?

It was just something I was thinking of at the time. I thought someone had to come up with a script for Criminal Minds quickly and the person was a Linux geek. The strike would have made networks turn to people on staff who are good writers but is not their profession.

Then i remembered most of those things are written season by season not show by show and only changed when an actor wants out (so they get rid of the character).

[bruce89]

@Bruce89:

I saw that report on ITV. They zoomed in on the screen, which clearly showed the GNOME top panel and the Ubuntu logo on his wallpaper. It had a couple of transparent terminals open and the compiz flames all along the bottom of the screen. Obviously they had to make it look l33t and h4x0r-ish.

And who says that GNOME is for idiots?

Big Momma's House 2 has GNOME on the go (not that I've seen it though).

[gentgeen]

I know this is an old post ... but I just wanted to correct something. Big Mamma 2 has KDE desktop, not GNOME. (I'm sitting here watching it with my kids... that is what made me start to google for other shows/movies with Linux.)

[LightB]

I watched a film, Copycat, with Sigourney Weaver using some kind of *nix, running terminals in a gui.

Diesel1.

I'm pretty sure that was RiscOS.

[Mr. Picklesworth]

Hm... anyone remember that dumb (yet very good looking) Photoshop job with Bill Gates and "I recommend Ubuntu" in the background?

The marketing team should round up all the popular TV characters who have supposedly used Linux and do the same thing with them ;)

[Buffalo Soldier]

Is this the one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD9b38_KUCU

[stickboy2642]

I know this thread is pretty old, but I happened to be watching Criminal Minds tonight, and the "Computer Geek" lady back at the headquarters, the one with the blond hair and thick glasses, not only appears to be using a linux machine, but it looks to be a Ubuntu machine. I saw Gnome with the telltale brown background. I could not see the whole background, but it definitely looked Ubuntu-ish. That's what actually prompted me to search and find this post. I thought it was pretty cool, and now I find out they actually have a history of being linux pushers! :-)

[blatestblabla]

I hope some of you realise that using GNOME/KDE or anything else in a lot of these situations is

(a) going to be un-noticed by everyone apart from geeks, so it doesn't help much with exposure if it's not aggressively pushed in the viewer's face

and

(b) I bet they use these desktops to avoid some trademark issues with showing Windows systems. There's a reason a lot of shows might show an XP desktop but it's missing the "start" on the start menu or has modified GUI elements. In other words - it's cheaper.

[yavez]

I hope some of you realise that using GNOME/KDE or anything else in a lot of these situations is

(a) going to be un-noticed by everyone apart from geeks, so it doesn't help much with exposure if it's not aggressively pushed in the viewer's face

and

(b) I bet they use these desktops to avoid some trademark issues with showing Windows systems. There's a reason a lot of shows might show an XP desktop but it's missing the "start" on the start menu or has modified GUI elements. In other words - it's cheaper.


I would also think that the SFX people, those who deal with making these graphics for TV/Movies would be kind of geeky and know this technology themselves, thus it gets included a lot more nowadays.

[blatestblabla]

I would also think that the SFX people, those who deal with making these graphics for TV/Movies would be kind of geeky and know this technology themselves, thus it gets included a lot more nowadays.
Yeah, quite possibly. I still think in some cases it depends on how important things are with regards to the viewer seeing the monitor with a similar (or unfamiliar) operating system.

I recently saw the new (leaked) trailer for season 7 of 24. At one point they show a picture of the bad guy in what is clearly Internet Explorer 7 running on a Vista desktop. They didn't bother hiding any of the GUI, it's clear as day. Obviously Microsoft is sponsoring this season. :)