German Ach-Laut

I used to think that the German Ach-Laut was always [χ], but right now I'm listening to a speaker who has [x] there -- for example, he says [bu:x] instead of [bu:χ], which is what I'd say.

Fascinating!

And I think now I have a better idea what [x] sounds like, and am more sure that the sound I have is, indeed, [χ] and not [x] :)

Distributed

I just heard Jason Vokes of Borland pronounce distributed teams with primary stress on the first syllable (distributed).

At first, I expected him to put primary stress on the second syllable (distributed)... but when I thought about it, his stress felt natural.

In fact, I think I'd make a distinction between the two: distributed is metaphoric (distributed teams, distributed systems: things spread out over several places or systems), while distributed is literal, and applies to things such as letters or packages which are, well distributed by a distributor. (The process, however, is distribution, with secondary stress on the first syllable and primary on the third, and no stress at all on the second.)

Or maybe my stress is just completely off?