Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about network sniffing and programming. But first, rural landlines are dropping calls, but not for the reasons you might expect. iTunes 11 came out, to the usual fanfare and undeserved anger. CDs are old. MagFest is coming (we'll be there presenting)! Our CS:GO server is live. Enforce.

Tonight on GeekNights, we present our candid advice on the value of certifications for computer professionals, especially if they already have university degrees. But first, Scott goes to great lengths to justify the purchase of his new computer (ahead of the UEFI UFIA), and we warn all of you that several disruptions to the GeekNights schedule are imminent, including Djangocon, The FPL Latin America Trading Conference, PAX Prime, and PAX Dev.

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider all of the awful concerns around UEFI's SecureBoot, which is bad, but not as bad as the evils of the past, as well as Cisco's dubious command and control firmware updates and problems stemming from the leap second that gave us a long weekend. Google Plus also now has developer-facing functionality that is ripe for some low-hanging-fruit execution of ideas! Rym, after a week without a smartphone, is finally back in the cyber fold. ConnectiCon 2012 is coming NEXT WEEKEND, and you should be there if you live within a few hours drive of Hartford!

Tonight on GeekNights, since we haven't addressed the topic in quite some time, we consider the state of laptops (as Rym moves toward upgrading his fairly old Lifebook). But first, we consider what "retina" really means in display technology and glucose-powered fuel cells.

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss one of the most ancient and vexxing problems in software, technology, and progress: the principled stubbornness without an underlying functional argument. AKA, why this guy should have added a semicolon. In the news, Intel unveils Ivy Bridge, and some billionaires and to mine an asteroid. In more local news, we'll be at Connecticon (and so be should you), Zenkaikon, MoCCA Fest, PAX Prime, and maybe Otakon!

Tonight on GeekNights, without getting into any deep technical, boring detail, we talk about network mounted filesystems and the like (SMB, CIFS, NFS, DRBD, etc...). In the news, Rym is back from India and is still tired of the TSA and its attempt to suppress further information showing how useless it is, New York's data are increasingly openly available, and California looks to legalize automated cars following Nevada's progress.

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk not about Allhambra but the so-called "walled gardens" of technology. In the news, the Zetas' private communications network was taken out and the Mozilla/Google deal might be in trouble.

Be sure to check out our many lectures and other videos from PAX East 2011 and Pax Prime 2012 on the Youtube channel. We will be at Nerd Nite this Thursday presenting an abbreviated version of "Losing Should be Fun," nevermind MAGFest!