A couple weeks back I talked with Leo Laporte and Paul Thurrott on episode #39 of the Windows Weekly with Paul Thurrott. The topic was my recent series of articles at ZDNet about Vista DRM (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3).
My radio podcast chops are a little rusty, but the whole thing actually turned out pretty well. The show runs about 45 minutes. If you’re short on time, you can skip straight to Leo’s intro at about 6:04 or go straight to 7:45, which is where I come in. And if all you want to hear is the Vista-related stuff, go to the 14:00 mark.
I lost count of the number of times I said “you know.” My media coach from back in the day is probably shaking her head as she listens to it.
Ed Bott (@ wordpress.com) 
Ed you were absolutely great on WW. I’ve been an avid listener of the podcast despite Leo’s obvious Apple bias. I really hadn’t had the opportunity to read your work prior too the podcast and I’ve found your deconstruction to be very insightful. I’m a now have both your blogs subscribed.
The FUD that’s being continued to parroted about vista is really getting to the point being intellectually dishonest and your work has revealed that.
Keep up the great work and I hope Paul has you on Windows Weekly more often.
-Adi
You did a good job explaining things on the podcast to Leo and Co and keeping him from over exaggerating the situation.
Next step … Chris Pirillo
I’ll echo the comments about the awesome job you did both with the articles and the podcast. And I agree with Mitchel, your next target should be Pirillo!
Keep up the excellent work, and thanks for standing up for Truth, Justice, and the Vista Way! (Damn, that sounds like an old Superman intro)
Ed,
I am a big fan of the Windows Weekly podcast and I heard this episode of it. I thought you did a fine job and as a matter of fact, it’s easily one of the technically “meatiest” episodes that Leo and Paul have released yet.
I hope they have you back again and again as different Vista issues surface over the next 12 to 24 months. It would be hard for them to find a more compelling authority on the subject of Windows Vista than you.
Keep up the great work.
~Alberto S. Lopez
Lawndale, CA
albertoslopez@gmail.com
Podcast!!! Oh no. Ed, with the greatest of respect, I don’t want to know how you sound. I have my own version of your voice in my head which I use when reading your blog. Imagine if I was to listen to your podcast and you sounded different – maybe more squeaky or have a strang accent!! My illusions would be shattered : )
I enjoyed the broadcast, too, but Ed, I wish you would have fleshed out how a media company can use Vista’s DRM features (or whatever it’s technically called) to prevent copying or playing to/from other devices, such as certain ports or external devices.
Another point of Leo’s you didn’t have time to address was “Why is it all in Vista’s code if no one is using it yet?”
Finally, where’s the Mac vs PC TV ad that tells the Apple snark to bug off, “I can play HD, dude, you can’t!”
PS: Do more podcasts!
Zaine,
The DRM is in Vista because there ARE people using it. I use it all the time to play HD DVD content on my Media Center PC. It is not intrusive at all.
If Microsoft didn’t include the code in Vista we would have to rely on 3rd parties to extend the platform or a standalone single tasking HD DVD player.
I for one appreciate having the ability to consume protected content.
Sure I wish the industry as a whole would move away from DRM as I feel it is more likely to punish the honest consumer than the dishonest pirate. However, it is the nature of the beast today that High Def content providers wish to (attempt to) protect their content.
That is why Microsoft included in their OS. They wanted it to be part of the High Def ecosystem.
BTW, Ed, fantastic episode. I’ve never cared for Paul’s podcast but when I heard you were going to be on there I had to go download it.