So yesterday, we looked at the Swan Orientation film as evidence of general shenanigans going on in that particular hatch throughout the brief but troubled time in which it existed on the Island. But it's not the only evidence, no sirree. In fact, that hatch (and indeed, many of the Dharma Initiative's stations) seem built on a great deal of funny facts. Misdirections, if you will. Out and out lies, if you must, dear Lost readers. And today, we're going to look at another conduit for such untruths: the Swan computer.

The Swan Computer

In many ways, the Swan computer was a character unto itself, not unlike the One Ring in Tolkein's epic tale of hobbits and hash. Its power lies in its ability to change those around it, sometimes bringing out the best in people, but more often than not driving them to absolute despair. Many people are simply not the same after pressing the "Execute" button for the first time. Few are unable to escape the grip of its tyranny, with only Locke's ill-advised plan to smash the computer freeing its denizens from its power.

What we know of the computer's primary use comes from the Orientation video discussed yesterday. But that's in fact not its initial purpose. I of course can't say for certain what the original reason for the computer's presence inside the Swan was, but I would wager a non-small sum of money to ensure that the original purpose was NOT to enter a series of numbers at a predetermined interval. A possible answer may involve something barely seen, and never discussed, on the show: the DharmaTel.

The DharmaTel is shrouded in mystery, mentioned on the Blast Door Map and the cabling plans discovered by Sayid inside the Flame (pre-explosion, natch). But all signs point to a system through which inter-hatch communication was possible. Call it an early broadband network, call it a high-tech series of cans attached by strings, call it Gladys Knight and the Pips if you really must, but the concept remains thus: the DharmaTel was a way through which communication could be maintained between isolated stations.

Part of the isolation was practical: as mentioned on the Orientation film, the location of the Swan was pre-determined by the unique electromagnetic properties of that particular part of the Island. You wouldn't wanna over-radiate polar bears, now would you? Cross-contamination of experimental subjects (in the scientific, not quarantining, sense) would defeat the purpose of the Dharma Initiative's work. But the isolation also worked on another level: it essentially let the DeGroots keep their employees in the dark about the true nature of the overall endeavor.

Think of it this way: when Steve Jobs puts together a super secret Apple product, he doesn't tell each team what they are ultimately building. A group is tasked to, say, build a specific type of microchip, or program a particular piece of software. These people don't ask what their part is ultimately going to produce: they merely know they have to create their specific part and donate it to the iVoltron-esque product they know will eventually send millions of geeks into orgasmic rage. The problem with the DeGroots was that their plan ultimately sent at least a few of its workers into a very different kind of rage.

As I theorized yesterday, I feel that the initial purpose of computers such as the one in the Swan was to provide instant data feeds into a centralized data center either on or off the Island. This data was sent unidirectionally via DharmaTel into a sole repository that could monitor the work being done in each of the stations. These stations were assigned not a number, but a Number: one of the Numbers corresponding to the value of their work inside of the Valenzetti Equation. But here's the hitch: the computers in each station could only communicate with that central computer: let's call it the Mother Board.

Problem is, one day, someone got bored as a mutha, and hacked through DharmaTel and figured out how to give a shoutout to his or her buddy in another hatch. And it was through this transgression that a certain someone got into the head of another DI computer drone. And it was this transgression that led, in some fashion, to the incident mentioned in the Swan Orientation video. One can easily imagine the way in which Michael was duped by the Others in "What Kate Did" happening in the late 1970's as well.

I'm less concerned about the specific way in which this occurred (I think Season 5 will answer that question) as much as its ramification: a new Orientation video with a new set of rules. And paramount to those new rules is the "stop IMing people, you freakin' dolt" rule. And yet, this is the rule that a man named Radzinsky decides to excise. One could be tempted to think he wanted further citizens of the Swan to be duped in a similar manner. Or did he in fact have another plan in mind altogether?

The answer, I think, lies in the third part of this week's look at the subterfuge in the Swan: the blast door map. Later this week, I'll be looking long and hard at that bad boy to see if we can finally get to the bottom of Radzinsky's master plan.

Until then, leave your theories about the Swan computer below!

Ryan also posts every 108 minutes over at Boob Tube Dude, then peruses Zap2It's Guide to Lost Facebook group.

Comments

"Hi, I'm Mac."

"Hi, I'm PC."

"Hi, I'm Swanny."

You take it from there.

Brian of the North | Sep 16, 2008 3:57:51 PM | #

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Longtime lurker, rare poster here. Sorry for the answer not related to this post, but it's more to answer somebody's question in the last one, and I was afraid y'all would miss it, which happens an awful lot.

The reason why fewer and fewer people post responses, even after saying they lurk? Because usually there are so many new articles coming in rapid fashion that by the time folks catch up and want to say something, the new posts are already up. If you look at the number of responses over the past few months, they have decreased to the point of being less than those on stupid shows like America's Top Dog (or whatever the hell it's called). I'm not trying to tell anyone how to run things, but consider the time people have to read all these posts compared to the time they might have to type up a decent reply. In a lot of cases, I guarantee that folks just give up because they know that nobody's going to read what they wrote, because by the time they got there, there are already two or three new posts to read. I don't know about anyone else, but the reason I never respond to anything is because I'm not going to bother wasting my time if it's going to get left behind and ignored.

Just pointing out a possible reason why hardly anyone posts replies anymore. Resuming lurking now.

Lilith Says Hi | Sep 16, 2008 5:26:01 PM | #

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Maybe Radzinsky edited the orientation film either to provoke more lockdowns and allow people to see the map, or to prevent them from seeing such map, since in the (god-awful and non-canon) via domus game you could turn on the blue light from the pc.

Lilith - You're partially right, but if you think about it, with people going on summer vacations and the show not airing, it's normal that the number of comments drop. What you mentioned happened to me before, especially because I'm in a very different time area. But in the show recaps, we easily pass 100 comments, unlike the show you mentioned (I've never heard of it). And it's better to have fewer but better comments than having a lot of lousy ones.

sin laden | Sep 16, 2008 6:04:36 PM | #

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I have a question: Is Lost going to have a little mini season this fall or do we have to wait until 2009? If they are, could you please say when? Thank you so much. I had seen this info previously, I thought, but can't find it now...unless i dreamed it? lol.

serene | Sep 16, 2008 7:32:46 PM | #

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Are we saying that, because each station was assigned a NUMBER of the 'Valenzetti Equation', and the computer was used for something other than sending the proper data, the 'equation' was changed and therefore caused the 'incident'? Then this would be why all the numbers are to be sent through the computer now, to prevent the equation from being changed.

4,8,15,16,23,42 = no incident

4,8, ,16,23,42 = incident

Also, to answer someone's question from the last thread, Alvar Hanso's relation to the Island was that his great-grandfather Magnus Hanso was the captain of the Black Rock.

Shaggysteve | Sep 16, 2008 7:53:09 PM | #

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serene: No mini-season this Fall. You won't see any Lost until 2009, sadly.

Ryan | Sep 16, 2008 8:29:35 PM | #

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Just a comment on the discussions about commenting (?) -- I don't know that I've missed many comments from posters. I will revisit a thread multiple times in the 24-48 hours it is posted (and even after the next article is up if I see a comment has been made). Yes, I have the luxury of being able to do that while I work and my job *is* at a computer. While many people can only check once a day, at home, late at night/early in the morning.

I just don't want anyone thinking that because their thoughts and observations are at the end of a day's worth of other postings it won't be read. I'd wager there are other "lurkers" who read all the comments and enjoy them, but simply don't feel they have anything to add.

I love Ryan's writing style, his insights, and the way several of the regular (and not so regular) commentators respond. I'm thoroughly entertained by even the last posts on each article.

So post on...!

djc | Sep 16, 2008 8:30:55 PM | #

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Thanks djc. It's nice to know people do read all the comments. It can be frustrating sometimes when you spend a good 10 or 20 minutes on a well thought out comment and it seems like it gets skipped or ignored, but such is the nature of the Web. I just like commenting period, even if it doesn't get read.

I can only hope that my small contributions, along with the other excellent commenters and our awesome host, Ryan, help to increase the enjoyment people get out of this already fantastic blog.

LOL, wow, hyperbole much?

JeffC | Sep 16, 2008 9:08:37 PM | #

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Ryan, thanks for the response. Made me very verklempt, but at least I have syndication, lol.

serene | Sep 16, 2008 9:09:43 PM | #

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As far as the purpose of the computer in the Swan's original incarnation; I think its main purpose was to act as a monitoring device for the electromagnetic reactor before the Incident. All the equipment located arond the computer suggests data from it was freqently being stored on disk & tape.

So when the Incident happened, maybe because any equipment inside the reactor room was destroyed and got sealed in, and because a charge began to build up within the anomaly, the console in the geodome was repurposed into a single-function release valve of sorts.

But what caused the Incident to happen? Was it like Ryan said and a bored, stir-crazy scientist compromised the integrity of the Swan's project by hacking into DharmaTel?

Or maybe did the scientists who built the reactor not fully understand just how powerful and unpredictable the electromagnetic anomally really was and it was only a matter of time before something went wrong?

JeffC | Sep 16, 2008 9:26:29 PM | #

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Since the electro-magnetic anomally was a part of the Island itself, perhaps trying to contain it was what eventually caused the 'incident'.

Shaggysteve | Sep 16, 2008 9:38:09 PM | #

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That would certainly fit the universal theme that one can never ultimately control nature.

JeffC | Sep 17, 2008 5:34:02 AM | #

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Sorry, I meant science can never ultimately control nature.

JeffC | Sep 17, 2008 5:34:33 AM | #

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DJC, I agree with your post. I enjoy this blog. Even though I don't often post, I do read the comments and ponder the theories.

JeffC, keep on posting!

kat | Sep 17, 2008 8:38:29 AM | #

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*** ARG movement ***

Test 5 is now up. You have to figure out the numerical pattern and answer with the next number in progression.

Shaggysteve | Sep 17, 2008 8:49:50 AM | #

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There's also a new video with a hidden message from Black Swan.

JeffC | Sep 17, 2008 8:59:12 AM | #

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Iv'e been lurking for the last few months and I hardly ever comment becaus eby the time I usually see the new post everyone has either taken the words out of my mouth or I simply have nothing to add. But I don't the new posts to come any less often!

this site and lostpedia are helping me through the hiatus though. :)

dena | Sep 17, 2008 2:08:32 PM | #

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I'm not so much lurking as taking it all in. You guys post such insights that my mind usually reels.

I check and recheck this site and take in every single post. Thank you Ryan and everyone else. I kind of miss Dark Disciple...

Fray | Sep 17, 2008 3:35:59 PM | #

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I kinda get Lilith's point, but for those of us who read a ton of these blogs on this and other sites, we don't all have the ability or the desire to respond to every bloody post. Some of us have lives and such. Plus it's just fun to read sometimes and not have to participate. Kinda like monster truck rallies...set me in the stands for a few hours and I'm happy (if a little deaf). Put me in the drivers seat, though? Not hardly.

(and which Lilith says hi anyway? the ancient demoness that was Adam's first wife if you believe such things, or the character from Cheers? Just askin'.)

Revenant | Sep 17, 2008 9:16:07 PM | #

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I'm with you, Fray. I miss DD's comments, too. :(

But it is always great to read everyone else's thoughts as it gives me insights I never could have come up with on my own!

djc | Sep 18, 2008 5:49:04 AM | #

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I'd like to think I have a life "and such". I just happen to work on the web all day.

JeffC | Sep 18, 2008 9:53:38 AM | #

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