6 chapters across the catalog
The montage resumes with clips discussing the geography of Transnistria, the outing of Tim Cook, and the rise of the Islamic State. Technical commentary includes a mention of the U.S. Navy running on Windows XP and the absurdity of modern spy agencies. The segments reflect the mid-2010s news cycle, focusing on cybersecurity and geopolitical shifts.
A security researcher known as MalwareTech gained prominence for discovering a "kill switch" for the WannaCry ransomware, though the focus remains on the lack of patches for legacy systems like Windows XP. Discussion centers on the visual representation of cyberattacks through interactive maps, specifically criticizing the "Norse Mode" animations as being more for show than actual data analysis.
The entire U.S. Navy continues to run on the obsolete Windows XP operating system, necessitating a multi-million dollar support contract with Microsoft for custom security patches. Microsoft ended general support for XP, but the Navy's refusal to upgrade has created a lucrative revenue stream for the software giant. The hosts criticize the lack of technical oversight in military IT procurement.
Corporate Email Retention and Discovery Evasion
IT professionals share insights into how large corporations and government agencies, including the US Navy, use strict email retention policies to limit legal discovery. These policies often involve small inbox quotas and automatic deletion of older messages to ensure no paper trail exists for future litigation.
The hosts complain about the "stolen hour" due to the start of Daylight Saving Time, which they characterize as a government training exercise. Dvorak notes that his Windows XP machine failed to update the time automatically, unlike his Vista machine. The segment transitions into impressions of Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski following Kissinger's appearance on Fareed Zakaria's program.
The hosts compare the stability of Apple's Leopard operating system with Windows, noting that while Mac users complain about rare crashes, Windows users are accustomed to frequent reboots. Adam Curry expresses satisfaction with his return to the Mac ecosystem for daily work, despite needing a Windows laptop for specific software like Cast Blaster. Dvorak admits that while he has issues with Apple as a company, he recommends their hardware to family members to minimize his own tech support burden.
