Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

Your Favorite 80s Hacking Scenes, Now All in One Place

Shall we play a game? Like, totally.

Ahh, the ’80s. Back when it seemed entirely plausible that typing “override all security” onto a computer screen would crack through the firewall of a multinational conglomerate.

The good folks over at Found Item Clothing spliced together that “Superman 3” clip, in which Richard Pryor’s character engages in a classic scheme known as salami slicing, with similar scenes from “Tron,” “Real Genius,” “Revenge of the Nerds,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” and other highlights from the neon decade to give us: “80s Computer Hacking: A Supercut.”

Not surprisingly, the synth-infused nostalgic delight leans heavily on “War Games,” the Matthew Broderick flick that helped inspire the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1984, as well as untold numbers of real life hackers (in both senses of the word).

So, shall we play a game?:

(Tip of the hat to Laughing Squid for surfacing the video.)

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

More in Technology

Podcasts
Are humanoid robots all hype?Are humanoid robots all hype?
Podcast
Podcasts

AI is making them better — but they’re not going to be doing your chores anytime soon.

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Future Perfect
The old tech that could help stop the next airborne pandemicThe old tech that could help stop the next airborne pandemic
Future Perfect

Glycol vapors, explained.

By Shayna Korol
Future Perfect
Elon Musk could lose his case against OpenAI — and still get what he wantsElon Musk could lose his case against OpenAI — and still get what he wants
Future Perfect

It’s not about who wins. It’s about the dirty laundry you air along the way.

By Sara Herschander
Life
Why banning kids from AI isn’t the answerWhy banning kids from AI isn’t the answer
Life

What kids really need in the age of artificial intelligence.

By Anna North
Culture
Anthropic owes authors $1.5B for pirating work — but the claims process is a Kafkaesque messAnthropic owes authors $1.5B for pirating work — but the claims process is a Kafkaesque mess
Culture

“Your AI monster ate all our work. Now you’re trying to pay us off with this piece of garbage that doesn’t work.”

By Constance Grady
Future Perfect
Some deaf children are hearing again because of a new gene therapySome deaf children are hearing again because of a new gene therapy
Future Perfect

A medical field that almost died is quietly fixing one disease at a time.

By Bryan Walsh