Topic: Software Testing

A "boots on the ground" report from an IT manager describes how software testing companies are rebranding basic tools as "AI-powered." Upon investigation, a supposedly advanced machine learning tool was revealed to be a simple spreadsheet containing standard formulas and macros.

NASA delays the Psyche mission to a metal-rich asteroid due to software testing issues at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The hosts poke fun at an NPR reporter's specific pronunciation of "NASA," comparing it to the "blue dress/gold dress" auditory illusion.

Volkswagen U.S. CEO Michael Horn testified before Congress regarding the company's use of "defeat devices" to cheat emissions tests. Horn admitted the company provided false information to regulators but claimed senior management had no knowledge of the scheme. He attributed the software manipulation to a small group of engineers, a claim the hosts find difficult to believe.

The hosts open the program testing a new communication package called Vovi to address latency issues experienced in previous sessions. A brief discussion ensues regarding the origins of the name Mevio, with one host mistakenly associating it with a Dutch shoe store. Technical difficulties persist, leading to multiple reconnection attempts and a comparison of the new software's audio quality against Skype and MIT-based systems.