Innovate or get left behind
Interesting article on how Microsoft has changed how they write code. The methods used in the past to build Windows failed. . and a Microsoft exec went to Gates and told him so. Looks like a
real persusasion job took place, but the "Lego" brick approach to building Windows has reduced bugs (at least so far).
Universities' antipiracy efforts studied
Universities are about to be studied by the GAO,
at least possibly. Get those antipiracy policies documented. What would Congress do with the resulting information -- further modify the DMCA? Remove a university safe harbor?
Open source continues to examine trademarks
After Linux's failed attempts to trademark in Australia, Debian
now reports that they are examining what should happen with their trademark policy. Trademarks have a role to play in preserving quality as contributions continue. . the question is what will the open source "controllers" allow -- or welcome?
Sue! Sue! says the U.S.
In a
speech in California, IP Czar Guiterrez advised tech companies to vigorously enforce their IP, and include clauses in their agreements which allow them to do so. The IP Czar also predicted change in China, as more actual resident inventors are seeking patents for their work. Time will tell. .
See more information on the
plan here. .
Google is the one to watch
With news in the last week about Google TV and Google buying up networks, one wonders what part of communications Google will not try to tackle. Is Google that powerful of a brand that it can extend however it wants? Besides occasional complaints about stealing all the talent and attention, and foreign censorship questions (well, okay, now the copyright infringement), you hear very little criticism about Google. When will the brand be tarnished? What can stop Google?
Movies invest in DRM
Have a spare $30 M lying around? Hollywood does, thanks to all of you who saw the pitiful movies this summer. In spite of, or perhaps because of, the increasingly poor theater attendance, Hollywood has
heavily invested in a new research lab to investigate new DRM and delivery methods for their movies -- and other content in the future. Modeled after another industry lab, this lab seems to be set up to be pretty independent. It will be interesting to watch the standards play, how the lab shares, and consumer response.
IBM encourages employees to become teachers
Seeing a shortfall in science & math teachers coming, IBM
is paying for some of its employees to become teachers. IBM will continue to provide some teaching resources to these former employees. Is the cynical view correct -- that IBM is trying to get rid of older workers and helping them find a new career? Or is IBM being a good corporate citizen? Looking out for the world?
The Chronicle of Higher Education has an article this week about the growing distrust of corporate and educational organizations, and perhaps we can point IBM out as an anomoly??
Linux TM rejected in Australia
Australia
rejected the trademark application for Linux, citing its genericness and questioning whether the attorney could act on behalf of Torvalds. Linux did not seem to mind this, though, as it does seem unlikely that others could trademark Linux. But there will be no control over the term.
Patent trolls & commons
Will more donations to the "patent commons" stop patent trolls? Happenings this month make you consider what the role of each of these are in the future. WSJ's
cover article on patent trolls is one thing to check out. . and more announcements of
patents dedicated to the commons is another.
Should universities dedicate more patents to a (or many) "commons" in order to reduce concerns that universities will license to "patent trolls?" Universities have unobligated patents. Universities' licensing offices are (relatively) easy to find. Universities are interested in seeing their work used. . and in recouping costs. Large companies are not able to work with many universities on an individual basis -- it's not efficient. How should the governments, universities, small & large businesses work together to see good solutions?
I can hear what you're typing
Thanks to
research by UC Berkeley's Doug Tygar, we now know that computers can reconstruct what you're typing just by listening to the keys that you type -- because you type slow and each key makes a different noise. Ok, Tygar did not say you typed slow, but because the sounds are distinct from each other, systems can exist to discern the difference. So watch who is listening (or recording) while you're typing in your passwords.
I keep thinking about the "invention" of the keyboard. We invented it to easily get stuff "into" the computer at a rate slow enough to allow processing. Now we have fast processors, but slow hands and an awkward keyboard. What does it take to gain adoption of new input mechanisms?
How is Skype different from Kazaa?
Did we need Kazaa first to enable Skype? Does "illegal" technology beget acceptance for "legal" uses? What is an appropriate testbed for "illegal" technologies to explore legitimate uses? Something to think about with the Kazaa and Skype announcements this week, given the relationship of the founders/developers of the technology. .
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/12633007.htm
Chief Data Officer
A few years ago, a person in charge of "privacy" at companies was stunning. As my friend Vivian commented to me last weekend, "kids" probably have a different concept of privacy than "old-timers" as much "privacy" law has yet to be written for the internet age, except in the case of health information.
But this post is about the
Chief Data Officer. A new position, Yahoo! says, but one that will become more common. Linked with privacy, obviously -- what do companies do with their data? What should they get to do? What is the training of a Chief Data Officer, and how should s/he inform the public about data mining?
Are you a great pizza eater?
Google is
hiring pizza eaters to distribute pizza to their friends on campus. You gotta hand the creativity award to Google for all they do to find ways to stay connected to people on campuses.
