The term 'COMPUTER OF '2001 ...'' is referring to the fictional character HAL 9000, a sentient COMPUTER from the 1968 science fiction film '2001: A Space Odyssey'. HAL is an acronym for Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic COMPUTER. HAL is a highly advanced artificial intelligence system that controls the systems of the Discovery One spacecraft and interacts with the ship's crew. HAL is capable of natural language processing, lip reading, facial recognition, and other complex functions.