May 13, 2008 12:22 PM PDT

Buzz Out Loud 723: Best bad idea ever

Posted by Tom Merritt

The military has proposed creating their own botnet to help combat cyberfoes. Kevin Poulsen at Wired thinks this is idiotic. We think there's a certain amount of mad genius to it, and debate the points. Meanwhile 6 million Chileans had their personal data leaked to the Internet. Don't worry it's not all shock and awe. Harvard says violent video games are A-OK! Shoot 'em up, kids!
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EPISODE 723

Note: We are making a change to our podcast feed system on Friday, May 16. However, you do not need to subscribe to a new feed. One important thing to know: If you have your podcast catcher set to download "all unheard episodes" in a feed, you will probably find a bunch of already heard episodes in your feed on Friday as a result of the changes. To lighten the hit, set your podcast catcher to only download "the latest episode" for the week of May 19-to-23.

Hacker posts personal information on 6 million people
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/story?id=4841870

Microsoft blames PC makers for XP SP3 crashes
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/196905/ microsoft-blames-pc-makers-for-xp-sp3-crashes.html

Dell halts high-end XPS production
http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/006946.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121063491209086661.html

Apple iPhone sold out online
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/37402/145/

Apple signs on HBO for iTunes Store, giving in to variable pricing
http://www.betanews.com/article/ Apple_signs_on_HBO_for_iTunes_Store_giving_in_to_variable_pricing/1210689456

Harvard researchers: Violent video games OK for kids
http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9942041-1.html

Charter to begin tracking users' searches, inserting targeted ads
http://consumerist.com/5008801/ charter-to-begin-tracking-users-searches-and-inserting-targeted-ads

Air Force colonel wants to build military botnet
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/05/air-force-col-w.html

Google extends online-video lead
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9941820-7.html

Welcome to the social mess?
http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9941984-2.html

Microsoft research launches WorldWide Telescope, Scoble cries
http://www.cnet.com/8301-13515_1-9942537-26.html

VOICE MAIL

Tony
When will we have on standard for wireless.

Ryan Colorado
A little bit about Back to my Mac.

E-MAIL

Genesis of the drug printer

In episode 722 you discussed the idea of printing drugs. I suggest chemical stability as a reason that such an idea could prove useful. The next wonder drug could, for example, lose its wonderful properties when exposed to oxygen (as oxygen is highly reactive). Perhaps this drug could be synthesized through the simple mixture of several, independently stable and innocuous chemicals. The mixture, however, could require a proficiency of titration not realized by the average afflicted individual. What is an inkjet printer other a highly accurate fluid dispersal and mixing device? (flash to lightbulb and corresponding Bing!).

I really do adore your shows. Keep up the terrificness.

--DS

Google does semantic search?

While listening to the show, you guys made mention of the natural language search tool, I think it was called Power Set Symantec Web. I went to Google.com and put in some natural language searches and got the same answers that you guys got when searching. The search queries were:

What is Buzz Out Loud?
Who was King Henry VIII first wife.

Both of those questions were answered correctly. Maybe I missed something, but I hope you guys can address it and clear it up for me. Love the show.

Long time listener, three time caller, first time e-mailer.

--Joseph

http://searchengineland.com/080512-000100.php

Spreading the fud

When I went to work yesterday in a call center for a telecom/Internet provider that rhymes with “horizon”, I found that copies of an article about Comcast’s proposed caps had been put on everyone’s desks, even though the middle paragraph did explain just how much content one truly gets for 250GB. I really don’t think that the majority of my co-workers really understand what they are selling on a technical level, since the training we got was really just aimed at how to sell it. All they’re going to take away from that article is “Well, ours is unlimited and theirs isn’t, so we’re better!” (Even if we can only give most of you 3Mb/768k service.)

Way to spread the FUD, “Horizon!”
--Anonymous

Obsolete words (or soon to be)

At the end of BOL 722, when Jason was talking about changing the subscription to make sure we download latest, Tom said if you don’t understand that, rewind.

Hmm, since the podcast is digital, how does one “rewind”? Wouldn’t that term have died with the cassette/VCR tapes? Open letter to mfg: please stop putting RWD on DVD remotes. My I propose fast backward, a technology neutral term (why is there only fast forward?)

Other somewhat obsolete terms I noticed lately: clockwise/counterclockwise (who owns an analog clocks when we have computers and cell phones), light bulbs (compact fluorescent lights are not really bulbs, just twisted tubes).

Sorry for random crap like this. The cough syrup is making me loopy.

--Dickson

Macbook Pro trackpad bubbles?

Hey Buzz out Crew,

Maybe that’s just me, but if you think that’s a lead worth investigating:
http://hervalicio.us/blog/2008/05/12/ breaking-news-the-new-macbook-pro-is-afraid-of-heights/

Found that problem on my MacBook Pro today and found that several other people are experiencing similar occurrences. Do I smell manufacturing issues…?

Love the show! Bye,

--Herval