Buzz Out Loud 805: See you all...tomorrow?

The Large Hadron Collider comes online tomorrow (Wednesday, September 10), so we're just kind of assuming we'll be here for tomorrow's show. Of course, if it uses .NET, we're definitely doomed, if Computerworld's speculations about the daylong outage of the London Stock Exchange are to be believed. In any case, if today is our last show, at least we brought balance to the force. We discuss new Zunes and new iPods in (mostly) equal doses.

EPISODE 805

Microsoft confirms Zune details
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10034897-56.html
http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2008/sep08/09-08ZuneFallUpdatePR.mspx

Live blog: Steve Jobs hosts Apple’s music event
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10035213-37.html
http://kevinrose.com/blogg/2008/9/8/predictions-for-tomorrows-apple-event.html

Judge waves gavel, says Avada Kedavra to Harry Potter Lexicon
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080908-judge-waves-gavel-says-avada-kedavra-to-harry-potter-lexicon.html

Feeling the heat, Google pledges to discard user data after nine months
http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-feeling-the-heat-google-pledges-to-discard-user-data-after-nine-months/
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/another-step-to-protect-user-privacy.html

Wilmington, NC, kills analog dead as broadcasters go all-digital
http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/wilmington-nc-kills-analog-dead-as-broadcasters-go-all-digital/

Google to sell TV ad time for NBC Universal
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10035881-93.html

HP laptop claims to break 24-hour battery life barrier
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10035354-1.html

London Stock Exchange suffers .NET crash
http://blogs.computerworld.com/london_stock_exchange_suffers_net_crash

Google to digitize newspaper archives
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/technology/09google.html

VOICE MAIL
Steve in Sacramento
Amazon’s nefarious reviews policy

Anonymous musician
I play old games

E-MAIL
Mike:
Many of the posts railing against the DRM used on Spore are highly inaccurate. its true you need an Internet connection to activate initially…bad. You also only get three installs…also bad but uninstalling will credit you with an install. The error is the claim that it phones home every time you play. It only connects if you stay logged in to share content. If you don't log in you don't need a network connection. I like a good anti DRM rant as much as the next guy but at least get the facts right. P.S. I'm writing this on a Kindle in the wild

http://www.dailypress.com/news/chi-harry-potter-suitsep09,0,5060236.story

“Rapoport’s attorney, Lizbeth Hasse, said, “We are very much encouraged that judge recognized as a general matter, and an important one, that copyright holders do not have the right to stop the publication of reference guides and companion books about literary works.”

The ruling detailed instances in which the lexicon went too far in quoting from Rowling’s novels and in referring to two guides that the author had published. The judge also awarded Rowling and Warner Bros. $6,750 in statutory damages.”

I haven’t been able to find the decision myself, but if this is the case (that the fair use line was explained), I have to think that this a good thing for copyright overall. According to the NPR story I heard this morning, it sounds like a lot was made about the difference between simply cataloging the HP world in an encyclopedia and the countless other books that are written about HP that offer their own specific and new content. It’s a hard line to tow between writing about the experience of Harry Potter and writting Harry Potter. All accounts I’ve heard so far indicate that the Judge got this one right (IMHO). This makes way for the idea that so long as something is mostly your work, and not a rehash of someone else’s, there is a fair use defense available.

I know this is more in the geek than tech realm, but imagine a world where a YouTube video maker could use this decision to justify some of the creative and great things they make…

LTPC

Frank L.

Good Evening JaBriMoTo!
Long time listener, and occasional contributor Elam here.

Interesting you four should talk about the new Microsoft Guru positions opening up around the country because I JUST got back from my final interview with Microsoft this afternoon where I was told that I was their top candidate for the first and so far only Guru position in Minnesota!

I was also concerned about the fact that it might be a commission sales position; however, I was pleased to find out that not only was strictly salary, but there would be no “sales performance” related tracking or requirements.

As far as your little Guru-Genius Prizefight, I don’t know how I would feel about that…Although I have an A+ Certification, I have a feeling Apple Geniuses would wipe the floor with me. Which is sad, considering my starting salary as a Guru would be $3-7 per hour more than the GlassDoor.com Average for Apple Geniuses! Sad…

PS: Is “Geniuses” right? Or is it “Geniui”? Help Me Out.
Elam, Minn.

Terrance
Greetings and salutations,

I, for one, wouldn’t mind seeing the tech come to life, but please, for the love of Pete, leave the 3 seashells ALONE.

Be well.

Richard
Is it a coincidence but the day the Large Hadron Colider go’s on line PayPal is closed for maintenance? Will there be a notice on PayPal's site that says closed for maintenance, may open if we are still here!

just a thought

Richard from the U.K.

If it dose go black hole, I will know 1 second before you, as I and nearer than you I will try to post on the blog so you know its coming.