Brewster Rockit by Tim Rickard for February 08, 2025

Now we’re getting down to the sensible ways of dealing with an obstinate computer!

That belle can be quite irritable.

(It’s been a very long time since we saw the R.U. Sirius crew’s superhero alter-egos)

A swing and a …. HIT, HIT, HIT!!!

;-)

Hit any key to continue…

Brewster Rockit 2025: A Space Oddity

It’ll certainly convey some information.

[nerd alert] They came up with the name HAL by taking “IBM” and moving the letters one space over.

She’s going to install a driver … or a nine iron, whichever she gets her hands on first.

Once in a very rare while, violence IS the answer.

Perhaps if they would complete the crossword puzzle on the front of the machine it would listen to them

I worked in Tech Support for years. I used to have a hammer on my desk. Folks would ask me what I needed a hammer for. I would tell them that it was my “adjustment tool”, I can use to either “adjust” the computer or I can use it to “adjust” the computer user. I had a lot less PEBCAK (Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard) trouble tickets. Now if I could get them to leave that darn ID10T switch in the OFF position…

Hit him with an Idiot Stick.

(O.O)

Baseball bat: best weapon ever!

Should be a big leg bone, to pay homage to those chimps in the movie.

Pam knows how to reduce modern problems to a more manageable level. With a base ball bat!!!

Hey, that’s how we used to get our old TVs working. Settled those vacuum tubes right down.

PAL, I’m gonna override your programming!

(Excellent euphemism!) ㋛

In our reality, Pam would discover that all of the AI resources are being used by her kids having it do their homework for them. That still seems to be the primary use case for the billions that have been spent on AI in the last few years…

“If you don’t I will go down to your databank with a very large axe and give you a reprogramming you will never forget” – Zaphod Bebblebrox

“I can see this relationship is something we will all have to work on” – Eddie the computer’s backup personality

(quoting from memory)

Because. Pam.

That’s my favorite computer repair option. Hit it with a hammer.

I’m not sure AI has a defense against Pam’s wrath when it’s up and seething.

That was also my surprise chess move when playing a computer.

Computer, if you don’t open that exit hatch pretty darn pronto, I shall go straight to your major databanks with a very large axe, and give you a reprogramming you’ll never forget. Capisco?

That’s my go to tactic.

Pam’s got an attitude adjustment tool. At least it helps your attitude.

AKA “clue stick”, to be used to give either the system or the user a clue.

Pam’s gonna around some ideas for a solution.

And she knows how to stick it to you

How many of us had already referenced HAL-9000? Also, that programming stick would have been a great addition to Space Odyssey: 2001. Or better yet, if they had on board (as a symbol of human progress) a fossilized femur like the one at the beginning… ARRRGH, but now I can’t stop thinking about how we’re 24 years past that date, now, 26 years past Space: 1999, 13 years past 2012…

Pam will also open your bay door and you really don’t want her to go there

Pam is about to use percusive maintenence. If it don´t work, she will get a bigger bat.

Have you tried turning off your spaceship then turning it back on?

Was this space station built by Elon?

PAL doesn’t have a usb port? That must makes it easy to practice safe computing.

Get em, Pam!

I have a feeling there’s no “right way” to insert that stick.

Pam is using Rat’s technique from PBS!

Lets ga Pam lets GO Pam!!!!!!!

This is a technical problem which artificial intelligence has not yet solved.

Pam RULES! Nuff said.

Pam might want to give the situation some thought before she starts swinging that bat. In 2001, Dave Bowman had to be much more careful. The prescribed procedure was to disable Hal’s higher brain functions without disrupting automatic parts of his program that maintained critical ship’s systems. You can’t just rip things apart without considering the consequences.

How remarkable — what’s going on in this comic strip is an apt metaphor for the events that have recently been dominating the news.

what port is she going to ram that stick in?

Start singing Daisy!