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Episode 36: MySpace, Macs, Mario Blocks and More! Mmmmm...

4/10/2006 4:53:24 PM

Host: Kristin Hatcher
This week the team discusses MySpace (pre- & post-mortem), recovery from malware, and a software update patent. We also discuss dual boot Macs (oh yeah baby) and open source DRM.

In gaming news we find that there is a class action lawsuit against Ubisoft for using Starforce (how shocking) and Michigan's law aimed at violent video games. Also young girls terrorize a town with Mario blocks and Bethesda sells horse armor for $3. Microsft purchases Lionhead and the first mod of Oblivion comes out…it’s a doozy! And of course Joel gets his butt kicked; this week by a tennis game.

Don't miss out on all the geeky goodness!

Important Links:
Wired News: Reasons to Love Open-Source DRM
Class Action Lawsuit Against Ubisoft
Star-Force Fake Website

Download Full Show

30 Comments

Segments : Episode 36: Tech Segment Episode 36: Game Segment

Neomilan

4/10/2006 4:59:23 PM

yay!!! listening now, hope its good

Cordelia

4/10/2006 5:00:59 PM

Nah, it's going to stink.

ellianth

4/10/2006 5:08:48 PM

Downloading now. Hopefully there isn't 40% less jokes like last week. I'm not a fan of the whole low-fat thing. I'll let you know what i think when i'm done listening. Keep up the good work.

Sraf

4/10/2006 5:42:02 PM

More mindless banter!

NickFritz

4/10/2006 10:19:56 PM

The reason for dual booting windows xp on a mac is for people who can't afford to buy a MAC and a PC system/laptop

If I were in need of OSX I would make my new system a OSX and then have windows running on that sytem aswell. Saves buying two new computers.

NickFritz

4/10/2006 10:25:05 PM

Also this commenting system needs a editing feature :/

ViridianGames

4/10/2006 10:31:12 PM

I think I've worked out why I continue to listen to the Poweruse podcast when I've given up on a lot of others. And it's because of Kristin, of course, but not for the reason you might think.

Now, Kristin is intelligent and funny and she's got a great voice, and she can put up with Brad (very important), but that's not the real reason.

Most podcasts, especially game industry podcasts, consist of two or three guys talking for a half-hour to an hour. Such podcasts tend to get very monotonous because the voices are all very similar - it becomes easy to tune out (especially since I tend to listen to podcasts while doing something else like playing World of Warcraft or programming). But because Kirsten's voice is so different the guys, it breaks up the monotony and makes the podcast easier to listen to.

This is also the reason why I'm still listening to Gamespot's Hotspot, since they regularly have Carrie Gouskos on that one.

antnyuk

4/11/2006 3:28:42 AM

I love the poweruser podcast, its the only tech podcast i have found that i like. I've listened to other but they just don't seem to compare.
Always enjoy listening to this on the way home.... thanks

xfodder

4/11/2006 6:36:39 AM

speaking of multiplicity ! WHERE IS THE MAC VERSION ! ive been waiting for ages

im in the same boat as brad, i have both a mac and a pc so i have no need for boot camp....but i would like the mac version of multiplicity ( send me the beta brad

)

superscaper

4/11/2006 6:51:34 AM

I still don't understand US Patent law. Having gone through the patent application process here in the UK it would be absolutely impossible to get a patent approved on something that is already in use and information that is in the public domain. These "closing the gate after the horse has bolted" patents are just sheer stupidity and go completely against the spirit of what a patent is supposed to be. I mean you may as well have someone get a patent on the wheel and charge a backdated licence fee to everyone who has ever used any form of transport ever.

tehStealth

4/11/2006 7:51:55 AM

Awesome! That newsbit was mentioned! That made my day!

Michigan roads sound fun, I remember being in Costa Rica and it was fun to driver over all those...non-pavemented roads. Well, I suppose not everyone will rent or buy a 4x4 that's meant to go over em...

lol, that MS bought Lionhead poll segment, was the longest, sarcastic thing I've ever heard, I don't know how you guys kept it so serious the whole time!

And is it just me, or does anyone else prefer the older mambo bongo type of intro music?

Now to find the podcasts.yahoo.com contact info...

Hurmoth

4/11/2006 8:06:07 AM

Hey, is there a link to that patent for dymanic software updates? I have got to that!

The Wicked Flea

4/11/2006 11:11:34 AM

I talked with my Dad and showed him the patent, I printed all 15 pages, and he doesn't understand how they could even get the patent. The patent system is good for things that work right, but something like this is rediculous.

I've no problem with someone who worked hard patenting their invention or formula, but I don't see eSoft inventing anything they used. This'll be contested hugely.

Thankfully it has nothing to do with what I've been working on lately, so I'm in the clear...

Kristin, don't you carry mace? You ought to use it on the guys when they start bothering you like that, I wouldn't blame you and I'm a guy.

The Wicked Flea

4/11/2006 11:12:38 AM

Hurmoth, skipped your post before, but it's right here.

The Wicked Flea

4/11/2006 11:14:21 AM

I can't edit posts, but that's the wrong link, sorry. This is the right one.

Sorry for the triple post.

warzabidul

4/11/2006 2:45:14 PM

I like listening to the show. It's a nice thing to listen to when commuting as well as when at home. There are quite a few podcasts that I've enjoyed and there are some interesting points of views expressed.

I'm listening to the most recent one at the moment.

mourningwould

4/11/2006 4:18:46 PM

I am in Louisiana... there are signs that say 'WARNING: Substandard Roadway'. A warning to be careful becuase the roads suck.

Posthumus ran against Granholm... yeah, he was dead before he started.

Apple notebook hardware is superior to PC notebook hardware in my opinion.

Enjoyed it.

mourningwould

4/11/2006 4:20:22 PM

Just looked at a pic of Granholm... not hot. Come south where girls can show skin without risk of frostbite Brad!

ellianth

4/11/2006 6:07:55 PM

^^^^. When i was lied to (by brad) about her being hot i had to go see for myself. I found her on wikipedia. She is most certainly not hot. Poor lady is gonna hear that brad called her hot and she's gonna come here to download the podcast and see all these not hot comments. Shame on you brad

. She has a huge boil on her face that i otherwise would not have noticed had you not said she was hot. Btw, great show.

GeneralVyper

4/11/2006 6:36:09 PM

It seems that many people who have reported the "mario incedent" in ravenna do not understand what the girls were trying to do. They were not playing some game, and they were not trying to bring mario into the real world. What they were really doing was a mix between adding some art to the world, and doing something fun for april fools day. The real story of the mario boxes (which show up all around the world), take a look at http://www.qwantz.com/posterchild/index.html#ravenna (neat pictures included)

simpilot

4/11/2006 8:30:13 PM

Ah, my home boy Mourningwould knows the pain I feel. When I talk about bad roads, we know we have the worst in the country bar none. Whole families have disappeared. Anyway, glad everyone liked the episode. I sure love doing it, but y'all gots to give me some love sometimes! Everyone always talks about those smartypants in Michigan...

TheSeaCowGoesMoo

4/11/2006 9:08:09 PM

I tried listening to this Podcast earlier in 2005, never really got through an episode...

Today I just stuck it on my iPod for another try... I listened to it on the way to school and during lunch - and I liked it a lot! Great job guys...

BTW ... that governor is not hot...

warzabidul

4/12/2006 5:04:37 AM

I've listened to the podcast:
1) on the tube
2) on a plane
3) swiss countryside
4) walking to uni
5) double decker bus

The segment about ducks and geese was really amusing by the way.

tehStealth

4/12/2006 7:29:14 AM

LOL

I just called in with a question...well, I called 3 times

1. I didn't hear Kristin when she said to keep the question under 2 minutes, cuz the 2 minutes part seemed to cut off. So I hung up and called again
2. Called, heard 2 minutes, but never heard the beep! So you guys probably have a recording of me...breathing...
3. Finally I got the beep, the "2 minutes" part got cut off again, but I heard th beep, so I left the message...

I don't know if there's anything you can do about that, but just wanted to let you know!

simpilot

4/12/2006 12:44:19 PM

Warzabidul,

But do you like green eggs and ham?

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