Computer Island

[D-Roc]

What is the island? We know the creatures and properties that inhabit it, but what is the island..is it a living organism, a sentient machine...a computer?

For the moment, I want to concentrate on the possibility of the island being a computer. The evidence?

Smokie, whether he's a manifestation of Jacob or the island itself, is a key member of island mythology. Dharma tried to keep it out of their barracks, building a fence to deter it. This alone could suggest that Smokie is a 'computer' programe or virus, one with pre-coded 'instructions' detailing it how to act.

Smokie appears limited in it's evolution, however. An intelligent 'creature' would be able to find a way over that fence, whereas Smokie appears limited by it's instructions or restricted by it's design.

Another way in which Smokie paralles with the workings of a computer is the way in which it appears to 'download' information from the losties subconscious. We saw it with Eko, and most likely it also happened to Locke..not to mention Juliet and Kate when it took those 'flashes' of the pair. Of course, Eko's was the most tangible of these 'downloads', where it literally extracted information from his past..only to later use TWO key aspects of his past on which to judge him - his faith and his brother. Could Smokie be harvesting these 'downloads' somewhere? Does it have a hard-drive full of downloads which it uses as a way to (try to) evolve..a way to upload..or upgrade it's own intelligence?

Whilst Smokie's evolution does seem slow (can't get over the fence etc), it does appear to be able to use peoples subconscious against them when required. It even appeared to manifest Ben's mom, Emily, in order to lure him from the clutches of Dharma - yet did Smokie ever 'extract' data from young Ben, like it did with Eko? We don't know (just as we don't with Jack/Christian and all the other manifestations), but if not then it would appear that the island has more than one way in which to download 'data' from it's residents.

The more I think about the, the more I see Smokie as somekind of computer virus..or even an Anti-virus, like 'Norton'? I guess this would tie in with Rousseau's suggestion that Smokie is a "security system".
This would make sense, in that the island is the 'computer' and smokie is the virus (or anti-virus).

Of course, this idea can still work with the Smoke Monster being a manifestation of Jacob angle, since Jacob could himself be part sentient..or stuck in somekind of sentient-mechanical realm. Could the idea of the island being a 'computer' also throw some light on the issue of time and time-loops/time travel, on the island? Afterall, computers are essentially made up of numbers (THE numbers?) and mankind measures 'time' using numbers, so that we can comprehend it. But what if someone has 'hacked' into the island and therefore unlocked the hard-drive of all 'time'?

Is this why protecting and getting to the island is so vital? If another 'virus' penetrates the island, is this why "every living person on this island will die"?

Did Desmond further 'hack' into the island computer by turning the failsafe?

I will add more to this, I just wanted to lay some of my thinking down so that I could pick it apart and possibly qualify it over....'time'