Google popped up with a link to some high-bandwidth Mars photos today, ensuring a sluggish day for internet users everywhere. Of course, this is a mere drop in the bandwidth bucket compared to NASA's self-aggrandizing NASAcast. Those arrogant [expletives]!
For a seemingly positive viewpoint on this latest fiscal atrocity see: Mars Orbiter Makes Port. This article is about podcasting.
Basically, podcasts are audio/video feeds using essentially the same technology as regular feeds, but with huge files. Thus illiterates can hog bandwidth, too. I don't have time for this now, but a cursory examination reveals a whole community of DJ wannabes streaming crap nobody listens to out to gee-whiz technolgy buffs for them to delete from their iPods. Just for good measure, we learned that MickeySoft has their own non-standard
On a related note RSS Specifications has some interesting thoughts on the RSS/atom dichotomy.
If you really must delve into this evil technology, Podcating News seems like a good place to start. Juice seems to be the most popular podcast client, although more clients are available. Of course you can check the article that "launched" this tirade -- NASA Podcast Help
Pod casting isn't going away just because I'm convinced it's a stupid waste of bandwidth. It will probably thrive. Maybe there is a way to use it for good instead of evil. I need some coffee.
