mathematical-machinery-deactiva:

astercontrol:

a long-snouted furry beast and a bell jar with legsALT
an animate cluster of firecrackers and a chandelier-ladyALT

one of many many delightful bits of RANDOM WTF CONFUSING

in this bizarre movie

so Tron and Yori walk past these… whoever they are

and there’s a little dialogue

-Who are these weirdos? -Inoperative data pushers.ALT
Control programs. Come on.ALT


I’m not completely sure if these phrases (“inoperative data pushers” and “control programs”) are both answers to the same question.

And either way, there are so many interpretations for what the heck any of that could even MEAN.

Why are they Inoperative?

Do they… not work?

Are they not actually “pushing data,” whatever is meant by that?

Or is “data pushing” what they do when they can’t be “operative” in the way they are supposed to?

like becoming a drug dealer ‘cause you lost your job?


is their Inoperative status the reason why they do not look like Users?

Nobody is Operating them

they are not Usable

they HAVE no Users so they… degrade to the point of not looking like anyone

?


And… if they are also “control programs”…

is this “control” in the sense of “the part of a study where nothing actually is done, so you can compare it to the part where you DO something”

is it, in this sense, a SYNONYM to “inoperative”?

and if so, in WHAT the hell study are they acting as the control group


…OR

are they control programs in the same sense as THIS GUY

search result for MCP, turning up Microsoft Certified ProfessionalALT

hahahahhomfg that was the VERY wrong search result but i’m laughing so hard i’m keeping it ROFL

….nah i mean

i mean him

the actual giant red cylindrical face of the MCP from TRON 82ALT


do they not look like a User for whatever same weird reason the MCP does not look like a User

are they, like

the Minion Control Programs to his Master Control Program


and if so

why are they Inoperative

is he that hilariously incompetent

did he not pay them enough and they’re Quiet Quitting


who KNOWS

there ARE NO ANSWERS

I LOVE THIS MOVIE

I think they’re FTP (file transfer protocol) programs who are “inoperative” because the IO towers are shut down, so they have nowhere to push data

I could be wrong though

Oh, that makes a lot of sense!

(nah, I don’t think you’re wrong, this movie is so vague about so many things you almost can’t be wrong, almost any interpretation is plausible– but that one’s very very good)

Aaaand now I would love to explore potential inerpretations of why they are so weird-looking, in this context.

are they weird-looking as a result of atrophy from being unable to do their usual job?

OR

is being weird-looking a normal part of being a Program involved in contact with The Other World?

(evidence in favor: DUMONT)