Time bomb

A time bomb (or a timebomb, time-bomb) is a bomb whose detonation is triggered by a timer. The use (or attempted use) of time bombs has been for various purposes including insurance fraud, terrorism, assassination, warfare. They are a popular feature in fictional thriller and action films as they offer as a way of imparting a dramatic sense of urgency.

Construction

The explosive charge is the main component of any bomb, and makes up most of the size and weight of it. It is the damaging element of the bomb (along with any fragments or shrapnel the deflagration might produce with its container or neighboring objects). The explosive charge is detonated by a detonator.

A time bomb's timing mechanism may be professionally manufactured, either separately or as part of the device, or it may be improvised from an ordinary household timer such as a wind-up alarm clock, wrist watch, digital kitchen timer, or notebook computer. The timer can be programmed to count up or count down (usually the latter; as the bomb detonates when the time runs out).

Time bomb (software)

In computer software, a time bomb is part of a computer program that has been written so that it will stop functioning after a predetermined date or time is reached. The term "time bomb" does not refer to a program that stops functioning a specific number of days after it is installed; instead, the term "trialware" applies. Time bombs are commonly used in beta (pre-release) software when the manufacturer of the software does not want the beta version being used after the final release date. One example of time bomb software would be Microsoft's Windows Vista Beta 2, which was programmed to expire on May 31, 2007. The time limits on time bomb software are not usually as heavily enforced as they are on trial software, since time bomb software does not usually implement secure clock functions.

History

The first use of a time bomb in software may have been with the Scribe markup language and word processing system, developed by Brian Reid. Reid sold Scribe to a software company called Unilogic (later renamed Scribe Systems), and agreed to insert a set of time-dependent functions (called "time bombs") that would deactivate freely copied versions of the program after a 90-day expiration date. To avoid deactivation, users paid the software company, which then issued a code that defused the internal time bomb feature.

Timebomb (Kylie Minogue song)

"Timebomb" is a song by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue. It was released as a non-album single on 25 May 2012 by Parlophone, three days before her 44th birthday, as part of Minogue's K25 celebrations, commemorating 25 years in the music industry. The song was written by Karen Poole, Matt Schwartz and Paul Harris, while production was handled by Schwartz and Harris, who helped produce her previous album Aphrodite (2010). The song was expected to be released on Minogue's third greatest hits album The Best of Kylie Minogue (2012); however, it was instead included on her box set K25 Time Capsule (2012).

The song was recorded and mixed at Destined Studios in London, England by Schwartz. In early announcements, fans alike had thought it was the song which was written by American singer and songwriter Michael Jackson, however this was proven not to be. An uptempo dance song which features strong elements of synthpop and house, the song features instrumentation of guitars, synthesizer and keyboards. Lyrically, the song talks about Minogue telling people to dance before a "timebomb" goes off, hence the title of the song.