Key facts
- Google software engineer Fabien Sanglard identified and documented '90s computer hardware used in Jurassic Park.
- The analysis includes specific models like Thinking Machines CM-5, Motorola Envoy PDA, SGI workstations, and Macintosh Quadra 700.
- The film's production team used real hardware, including $875,000 worth from Silicon Graphics and $350,000 from Apple.
- The iconic "Unix system" line was prompted by the FSN 3D file system browser.
- Software historian Andrew Warkentin released a collection including software seen in the film.
Google software engineer Fabien Sanglard has meticulously identified and analyzed the '90s computer hardware featured in the film Jurassic Park. Sanglard scanned the movie, cataloging every identifiable piece of equipment, its specifications, cost, and its role in the production. This detailed hobbyist investigation, which gained traction on Reddit and Hacker News, addresses the film's notable attention to accurate technological details, a characteristic attributed to writer Michael Crichton's background and meticulous approach.
Among the identified hardware are five Thinking Machines CM-5 systems, a Motorola Envoy PDA, and several Silicon Graphics (SGI) workstations, including an IRIS Crimson and an SGI R4000 Indigo. The film's production reportedly spared no expense, utilizing $875,000 worth of hardware from Silicon Graphics and $350,000 from Apple. Notably, the character Dennis Nedry used Macintosh Quadra 700 computers, a detail that stands in contrast to modern product placement policies. The film also featured recognizable software, such as the QuickTime video player, and the FSN file system browser, which was the source of the famous "This is a Unix system" line.
Further contributing to the exploration of the film's technology, computer historian Andrew Warkentin recently released a 174GB collection called the "Virtual OS Museum," which includes software seen in Jurassic Park, allowing enthusiasts to experiment with it.