Re: [ NNSquad ] Microsoft Patents 'Avoid Ghetto' Feature For GPS Devices

["Rob, grandpa of Ryan, Trevor, Devon & Hannah" <rmslade () shaw ca>]

Date sent:              Sat, 07 Jan 2012 10:36:41 -0800
From:                   Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>

> http://j.mp/AoVBlL  (CBS Seattle)
>
>    "Microsoft has been granted a patent for its "avoid ghetto" feature for
>     GPS devices.  A GPS device is used to find shortcuts and avoid
>     traffic, but Microsoft's patent states that a route can be plotted for
>     pedestrians to avoid an "unsafe neighborhood or being in an open area
>     that is subject to harsh temperatures."

a) How is this substantively different from "avoid congestion"?

b) Do you have to enter your own socio-ethnic-economic background?  So that, if 
you are [ethnic generally seen as immigrant and/or lower economic status] you can 
avoid [high rent neighbourhood with lots of trigger-happy rent-a-guards on patrol].

c) OK, we probably still have time to patent "avoid unsightly surroundings" (we 
can use StreetView), and "avoid unbalanced ex-girlfriend."  We can probably get 
people to agree to tie in their personal financial details in order to add "avoid 
people you owe money to."  (And then we can make a bulk deal with the phishing 
fraudsters, and finally make a killing!)

d) Should we be trying to avoid a "patent ghetto"?

======================  (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rslade () vcn bc ca     slade () victoria tc ca     rslade () computercrime org
There are some Perl programs that look like nothing so much as
line noise.                                         - Margaret Fleck
victoria.tc.ca/techrev/rms.htm http://www.infosecbc.org/links
http://blogs.securiteam.com/index.php/archives/author/p1/
http://twitter.com/rslade
_______________________________________________
Fun and Misc security discussion for OT posts.
https://linuxbox.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/funsec
Note: funsec is a public and open mailing list.