Topic: Open Office

The "slackification" of the workplace is linked to the failure of open office plans, where employees wear headphones and only communicate via digital text. The hosts argue that without emojis, modern digital communication is often perceived as negative. They discuss how this lack of context leads to a reliance on visual aids like GIFs and stickers to convey tone.

The hosts critique the Microsoft Office 365 subscription model, specifically the "five account" family plan. They argue that the cloud storage is inferior to local hardware and that the subscription model creates a dependency where all users lose access if the primary account holder stops paying. They suggest open-source alternatives like LibreOffice as a way to avoid this "genius" marketing trap.

The hosts deal with technical glitches in their donation spreadsheet, blaming "stolen code" in Microsoft products. Sir Long Rock of the Sierra Nevada is officially knighted in a formal ceremony. Karma is extended to various listeners dealing with family health issues or moving across the country.

A series of listener notes and donations are read, including a birthday wish for a friend of Ashley Hurst in Seattle. The hosts discuss ham radio call signs and a donation from a listener in Australia who compares the cost of the show to "St Kilda hookers." Technical difficulties with an Excel spreadsheet lead to a discussion about the show's production process and the need for continued financial support.

Google was recently awarded a patent for serving ads based on environmental conditions gathered through device sensors like microphones and cameras. Adam Curry discusses his move to Ubuntu and Thunderbird to improve privacy and performance, while John Dvorak remains skeptical of open-source design tools.