Inside the global computer crash

It all started with a configuration file. A seemingly routine update, the kind that happens hundreds of times a year, to millions of computers around the world. But last week that update crashed 8.5 million computers, and wreaked havoc on banks, airlines, schools, and more.

On this episode of The Vergecast, The Verge’s Tom Warren joins the show to talk about the story and legacy of the CrowdStrike crash. We talk about what exactly happened, how CrowdStrike and Microsoft scrambled to fix it, and whether we’re due for a reckoning over how much we rely on complex and fragile technology. (Don’t forget to subscribe to Notepad!)

After that, we chat with The Verge’s Victoria Song along with Adrian Hon, a writer and game designer who spent many years as the co-creator of the popular fitness game Zombies, Run. Hon tells us why he set out to build a game without streaks and aggressive notifications, why more data isn’t necessarily better, and why zombies are such a good motivator.

Finally, we take a question from the Vergecast Hotline (866-VERGE11, or email us at vergecast@theverge.com!) about portable game consoles for new parents. Because sometimes there’s a tiny creature sleeping on you, and you’ve got games to play.

If you want to more know about everything we discuss in this episode, here are some links to get you started, beginning with CrowdStrike:

And on Zombies, Run and fitness:

And on handheld gaming: