@joe5joe7
The computer is something that has been with us for years, at least the concept, however only recently has gotten become as general purpose and powerful as they are today. Originally they thought of them as solely for the purpose of computing and doing the very specific formula they are designed to solve. Charles Babbage’s difference engine for example, “Intended to revolutionize computation by mechanizing it.” Over time these became more and more complex, eventually reaching the point where the very concept of something like The Matrix could be thought of.
At it’s core idea, the Memex thought of by Vannevar Bush is designed as an augmentation of life. It’s designed to facilitate receiving information, as well as allowing you to easily share it with others. It’s designed so that any time you need information, all you have to do is reach out and the information is readily available to you. Along those same lines if you have any need to augment the information or change it, that also merely requires reaching out and making the change. The falling lines of code in the Matrix are simply the natural next step along this line of thinking. Instead of the device augmenting your reality, making it easier to work with, the device is your reality. Unlike the contained nature of the Memex, the falling code of the Matrix is all encompassing, it permeates everything that you see. While Vannevar may be considering “As we may think”, the concept behind the falling lines of code is What we may think.