April 12, 2008

The April 12 show mixes intimate studio life with Dr. Dave's insistence on describing technology as it actually behaves. He says his allergies were so severe the night before that he was unsure he could broadcast, but a good night's sleep and the help of his nurse wife left him able to work; the same family expertise helped Evil Steve through another back injury. In a client story, Dr. Dave explains that a new laptop's wireless hardware was misidentified even by its support documentation, so he removed the card, uncovered its FCC ID and traced the government filing until he found the correct driver. He tells listeners this because the “hype-free zone” must admit when his recommended route is painful. A caller preserving 2,300 files in an old Radio Shack database illustrates how long personal data can outlive its original computer, while a Linux discussion lets Dr. Dave separate joyful, hands-on learning from the practical requirement that a work machine simply work. The brothers also revive their Earth Minute routine, with Dr. Dave gamely holding his breath as Evil Steve narrates.

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Proposed air date. The available recordings may not contain the entire broadcast.

Recordings preserved for this date