These pirate channels have been around for a while. Basically you use network resources that you don't own to create an IRC channel. I really believe that's what is going on here. It's not a major tragedy in the making - it's not a zombie army that will eat the Internet's brains. And both agree that even if the 'kiddies' who are installing the Trojan program were to amass a zombie army they wouldn't know how to direct the campaign.
Zombie is the right word for it.
You've got a bunch of brainless dorks staggering around with no real aim or goal in mind. But Robertson said people shouldn't totally ignore the threat. But there is a problem if people can hijack systems so easily. The whole thing points to the fear people have - they don't understand computers and networks and so it's all voodoo to them. Both said that they didn't fault CERT for being cautious.