In the
Stanley Kubrick's film,
2001: A Space Odyssey, HAL 9000 displays 9 different
screens, each of which consists mainly of three bold
sans serif letters displayed in white on either blue or red.
The letters are:
- ATM
- CNT
- COM
- FLX
- HIS
- LIF
- MEM
- NUC
- VEH
While
COM and
MEM (and, in a different way,
ATM) have strong modern-day computer connotations,
the others are still free to evoke different meanings for different people.
Perhaps the letters are intended to be an outward display of what HAL is thinking, or
what subroutines are taking most priority. I'm uncertain if any meaning is implied in the film, or even if
any should be inferred.