Podcast Update

• Norman Packard talked about Synthetic Biology. The main starting theme he introduced was a definition of life which includes requirements for self-subsistence, reproduction, and ability to evolve. With this definition, many things can be considered alive and Norman is particularly targeting creating things that are living that can do useful things. Best to let him tell you. This is an excellent presentation and I am looking for my new laptop that comes with the factory to produce more laptops and to improve them along the way!
• Dr. Moira Gunn talks with Gerd Leonhard, music industry strategist, about the future of music. He's written a book for which you can get a direct link by following the link just before this sentence, The Future of Music: Manifesto for the Digital Music Revolution. If you are a Daily Source Code listener, then you know that Adam Curry has been discussing how the current musical industry and the laws that support it are archaic. Further, that they don't adequately or fairly represent the real interests of musicians or customers. Gerd provides validation of most of Adam's views and a good all around discussion of this important topic. And, yes getting music as we know it is changing!
• Peter O'Kelly, Burton Group, discusses Microsoft as a Superplatform. His presentation provides quick fly-by of Microsoft's main platform offerrings. He validates that Microsoft is a viable candidate. Yes, there is lock-in just as there is if one goes with IBM, Oracle, SAP, and other providers. He believes that all of these vendors and others operate on a similar business model that seeks to provide multiple layers of the stack to each of their customers.