Hollywood operating system

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The Hollywood operating system, or Hollywood OS, refers to any fictional computer operating system clichéd in movies and television. The name itself is a misnomer, as the term actually references computer hardware, operating systems, internetworking and various applications ancillary to computers. These systems usually share common functions with real operating systems, but tend to be able to perform these functions at faster speeds with a more aesthetic graphical user interface (GUI), and are exceptionally more functional than today's software. For instance, a Hollywood OS may have the ability to download extremely large files in mere seconds; display error messages in large, flashing red text; the ability to interface with any computer, whether terrestrial or alien; and allow any user to intrude into extremely secure government computers with ease. They also tend to have sound effects unnecessarily accompanying every event, no matter how trivial. Some versions do not make use of a computer mouse, with virtually everything being done by keyboard or alternative input device.

These systems will often either shut down, substantially slow down, and/or stop performing necessary functions as a plot device.

The system can also do tasks that are virtually impossible (at least without the aid of advanced artificial intelligence), such as the ability to zoom in on any detail of a photograph to an excessive resolution (for examples, see the TV series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Las Vegas).

The interface often utilizes flying or scrolling numbers or other characters when a character accesses a large quantity of information (see The Matrix and Hackers). The interface may also contain parts of different real life operating systems on one system. For example, in Office Space the predominant GUI which is shown looks like Apple's System 7; however, when the main character goes to shut down his computer, a C prompt is clearly visible which is not a part of the Mac OS but instead more commonly associated with Microsoft's MS-DOS and Windows operating systems.

Text displayed on the screen is often unusually big.