__/ [ nessuno@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ] on Friday 05 May 2006 18:42 \__
> "Tracking usage behavior in computer systems
>
> "Abstract
>
> "A system and process for tracking users' usage of content in computer
> systems. The tracking and accumulation of content usage information
> allows content providers to understand more about their user base. In a
> computer system having numerous users, it is advantageous to provide
> relevant customized content in addition to any specifically requested
> content. By storing and processing content usage information for users
> in a computer system, customized content may be provided to a user
> based on the user's previous usage of similar content. In operation, a
> computer system hosting various content creates a unique identifier,
> having data storage space, for a given user of the computer system.
> When a user sends a request for content to the computer system, a
> unique identifier is created and/or updated with information relevant
> to a user's content request. The identifier is passed back to the user
> with the specifically desired content. When processing subsequent
> requests for content, the computer system updates the unique identifier
> with most recent usage information. In addition, the computer system
> processes the unique identifier for previous usage information in an
> effort to provide customized relevant content, in addition to the
> specifically desired content."
>
>
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=7,039,699.PN.&OS=PN/7,039,699&RS=PN/7,039,699
Also confer the following unnerving article from a former Microsoft manager:
,----[ Quote ]
| But the benefit to the web sites is much greater, because now they can
| pool and share their information about you. Let's take a hypothetical
| example that's possible today. Microsoft's online travel agency Expedia
| is a Passport web site, and Microsoft Investor is too. One day, Expedia
| could start offering higher fares to customers who have more than a
| million dollars in their Investor stock portfolio. There's not
| really anything technically impossible about this, and it's probably
| legal, too.
`----
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000047.html
It is the danger of targetted, well-informed (intelligence/spying) delivery
of content with financial agendas in mind. Microsoft violate ethics by
exchanging browser cookies across Web sites and re-directing to fool the
innocent surfer.
|
|
