Swan computer/Theories

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Theories about Swan computer

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Stated as questions or possibilities (avoid question marks, "Maybe", "I think", etc). More appropriate for another article. Illogical or previously disproven. Proven by canon source, and moved to main article. Speculative and lacking any evidence to support arguments. Responding to another theory (use discussion page instead). This does not include responses that can stand alone as its own theory. Usage of an indented bullet does not imply the statement is a response. See the Lostpedia theory policy for more details.

• The Swan computer may be a central hub on the island by means of an intranet as suggested by the Blast Door Map in episode "Lockdown" - the map's straight lines may indicate direct intranet connections.
• Each DHARMA station has an identical Apple II terminal linked to a mainframe at DHARMA headquarters. The central mainframe is set up specifically to process the Valenzetti Equation. The scientists at each station input the results from their research into the terminals. The mainframe constantly gathers all of this data, plugs it into the Valenzetti Equation, crunches the numbers, and broadcasts the results via the Radio Tower. The transmissions are the only communications between The Island and the Hanso foundation. They serve as an electronic "smoke signal;" once The Numbers have changed, the Hanso Foundation knows that the DHARMA Initiative has succeeded. (See entries on the 1975 DHARMA Orientation Film.)
  • This is why attempting to contact the outside world could "compromise the integrity of the project." Any distress messages sent from the terminals are picked up by the mainframe, and any "bad" input could throw off its calculations, causing it to broadcast erroneous results.
    • Or the person on the other end of the computer was at DHARMA central and the test was to see weather the swan occupants had the Initiative in mind and would risk the "integrity of the project" to have contact with the out side world.
• The stack of magnetic tapes next to the terminal suggests the computer, (or at least the mainframe), could be used for more than just entering the numbers.
• Ben is the only person who knows the code to enter into the computer in order to display the blast door map. Ben entered an additional code and would not tell Locke that he entered anything.
  • Ben caused a lockdown because he wanted to get the supply drop for himself, but he didn't think his plan through and locked himself in the computer room.
• The lockdown voice countdown was to tell whoever was in the swan that a food drop was occuring.
• When Michael thought that he talked to Walt over the computer, he was actully talking to one of The Others.
  • In the promo for 'Secrets of Lost', a Blue-Ray special feature, Damon Lindelof confirmed that it is Walt, on the other side of the computer.