November 28, 2004
Microsoft To Patent Instructional Feedback To User Responses
As reported by Slashdot contributor "timothy", Microsoft has been seeking a patent for early childhood education that focuses around the ability for a system to provide appropriate feedback to an unstructured user response.
More precisely, the Microsoft invention, is a system and method for accepting unstructured input from a user in response to a particular task, and providing instructional feedback based on the accuracy of the user input to the particular task.
If you feel the jargon is trumpling you, and that what you are reading feels like one hundred different software programs you have already used to learn, play or have fun at your computer, you are just having a normal reaction. Breathe deeply, and while keeping in mind that tolerance can be a great virtue, read on.
The abstract of the patent request summarizes:
"A system and method for providing instructional responses to unstructured user input is presented. In operation, a task is presented to a user. In response to the task, the user inputs unstructured input onto a computing device. In response to the input, a determination is made as to whether an instructional response should be presented to the user. If so, the response is presented to the user. Determining whether a response should be made to the user is made according to the accuracy of the user input in regard to the task. The response may be a visual response, and audio response, or an audio/visual response. The invention may be used in a network configuration that permits a teacher to monitor the progress of individual users/students."
I don't know what to add personally, as there is little to say around the issue of patenting the technology features that should allow individuals to learn and improve their understanding of whichever realm of inyerest without having to buy into the Microsoft version of it.
But I am not a lawyer and I don't know what tangible support Microsoft can bring to support its patent request. I am just nausated by the increased use of patents and copyright for the benefit of a few large vested commercial interests, when these would significantly limit the opportunity for other innovative products and ideas, to make their way into the market.
Yes, I understand that business today works around these rules, and Microsoft is only playing its best interests.
But outside of Bill Gates and those who buy into his shares and share the wealth of his empire, what is the benefit that you and I are getting by allowing this use of patents?
Better tools?
A more competitive marketplace?
More innovative ideas?
Reference: via Slashdot [ Read more ]
July 6, 2004
Microsoft Patents The Human Body As A Network Bus
It really sounds like an April Fool's Day joke, but it is really not. Microsoft, that imperialist of the information-technology world, has actually succeeded in patenting the human body as a computer network. US Patent 6,754,472, issued to the company on June 22nd, is for a... read more
November 8, 2004
Microsoft Claims Ownership Of The Internet
According to an article by eWeek dated Friday Nov. 5th 2004, Microsoft appears to be claiming intellectual property rights on over 130 Internet protocols that make up the very core of the Internet infrastructure. These protocols include for example TCP/IP and the DNS system. The story emerged... read more
June 19, 2004
Why Digital Rights Management Is Bad For Us: Microsoft Gets Briefed
If you want to understand why copyright issues and the focus on digital rights management has created so much fuss and such a clear stand-off of end users to the future secure content distribution strategy heralded by Microsoft this is an absolute must-read. This is the... read more
November 3, 2003
Microsoft Attempt To Phase Out Simultaneously HTML, CSS, PDF, Flash, DOM, XUL, SVG, SMIL
"Microsoft may be attempting to simultaneously obsolete HTML, CSS, DOM, XUL, SVG, SMIL, Flash, PDF. At this point, the SDK documentation is too incomplete to firmly judge how well XAML compares with these formats, but I hope this lights a fire under the collective butt of... read more
October 12, 2003
Microsoft Ready To Achieve Lock-in
A new report available online sheds even more light on how bad the situation relating to what was originally known as Microsoft Palladium and later as TCPA is rapidly becoming. The report, entitled "Trusted Computing: Promise and Risk" maintains that computer owners themselves, rather than the companies... read more
March 18, 2003
Microsoft Is Getting Information Directly From Your Computer
WARNING! When connected with your computer to the Microsoft Windowsupdate.com web site you reveal a lot of private information to Microsoft without even realizing it. It used to be that no information was sent to Microsoft when you accessed their software updating hub at Windowsupdate.com. Unfortunately times have... read more
