Can Microsoft teach tots digital-age virtue?
,----[ Quote ]
| The basis of Redmond's pitch was a small survey they sponsored where nearly
| half of the kids polled said they were unfamiliar with the rules and
| guidelines of using copyrighted media. Microsoft figured tots would be less
| inclined to steal someone's IP if they knew about the alleged consequences.
|
| A lot of digital ink was used to slam Microsoft's scheme. People need Redmond
| telling them about IP rules like they need Pavorotti schooling them about a
| well-balanced diet.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/27/microsoft_ip_curriculum_look/
Watch the Ballmer photo. Priceless. Shirley Ballmer...
Related:
Threat Of Jail Time Increases Respect For Copyright, Microsoft Says
,----[ Quote ]
| It's not clear whether Microsoft's statement to teen respondents -- "When you
| do not follow these rules you are open to significant fines and possibly jail
| time" -- is entirely accurate, particularly when teens under the age of 18
| are involved. Emily Berger, an intellectual property fellow at the Electronic
| Frontier Foundation, is skeptical. "I think it's being used as a scare
| tactic," she said. "It's a real stretch of the law to say it's theoretically
| possible."
`----
http://informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=206503467
Microsoft training youth to love intellectual property
,----[ Quote ]
| Take, for example, its commitment to help teenagers understand the importance
| of respecting intellectual property (read: giving Microsoft more money). It
| just put out a survey showing that when kids understand the rules of
| copyright, they're "less likely to download illegally."
|
| [...]
|
| The one thing it didn't explain to teens is why they should retrofit
| 20th-century copyright laws onto 21st-century realities. Digitization is a
| fact. The web is a fact. Intellectual property is not the same as real,
| tangible property, and should be treated and monetized differently.
`----
http://blogs.cnet.com/8301-13505_1-9871636-16.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=TheOpenRoad
More Choice
,----[ Quote ]
| On the other hand it is notable that the choice propaganda is just
| unilateral. Microsoft does not offer customers of their products to choose
| between ODF and OOXML.
`----
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-41210/more-choice
The list of Microsoft's US software patents covering OOXML
,----[ Quote ]
| US20060271574A1 Exposing embedded data in a computer-generated document
| US20060259854A1 Structuring an electronic document for efficient
| identification and use of document parts
| US20060206794A1 Method and apparatus for maintaining relationships between
| parts in a package
| US20060190815A1 Structuring data for word processing documents
| US20060149785A1 Method and Apparatus for Maintaining Relationships Between
| Parts in a Package
|
| [...]
`----
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-39421/the-list-of-microsoft-s-us-software-patents-covering-ooxml
Torvalds: Microsoft is bluffing on patents
,----[ Quote ]
| "...They have been sued for patents by other people, but I don't think
| they've -- not that I've gone through any huge amount of law cases -- but I
| don't think they've generally used patents as a weapon," Torvalds said. "But
| they're perfectly happy to use anything at all as fear, uncertainty and doubt
| in the marketplace, and patents is just one thing where they say, 'Hey, isn't
| this convenient? We can use this as a PR force.'"
|
| [...]
|
| Microsoft's recent work around improving its platform's interoperability with
| Linux left Torvalds largely unmoved.
|
| "I think there are people inside Microsoft who really want to improve
| interoperability and I also think there are people inside Microsoft who would
| much rather just try to stab their competition in the back," he said. "I
| think the latter class of people have usually been the one[s] who won out in
| the end, but -- so I wouldn't exactly trust them."
`----
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/020408-torvalds-microsoft-is-bluffing-on.html
Microsoft patents by Brian Jones
,----[ Quote ]
| For fun we just did a quick search of published US patent applications
| with "Brian Jones" as an author, and "Microsoft" as the assignee.
|
| [...]
|
| Some of these, like the packing ones, seem to apply directly to OOXML. What
| isn't clear to us is why Microsoft would pursue patent protection for patents
| rights that their are promising that they won't assert over users of OOXML.
`----
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-35323/microsoft-patents-by-brian-jones
Digging in the Comments: Patents
,----[ Quote ]
| Patent licensing is probably the most important aspect for all third parties
| that want to implement or use the Open XML specification. Unfortunately the
| Ballot Resolution Meeting cannot discuss these aspects because only technical
| and editorial issues would get resolved.
|
| [...]
|
| When you have a patent which covers Open XML and you refuse to license it,
| the standard process gets stalled. Large companies in the standardization
| process are reluctant to use that nuke option. Given the ambush that the
| software patent practice means today it is quite possible that Open XML
| infringes a patent and all parties eventually have an obligation to license
| it.
`----
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-31491/digging-in-the-comments:patents
Patent threat looms large over OOXML
,----[ Quote ]
| "If OOXML goes through as an ISO standard, the IT industry, government and
| business will encumbered with a 6000-page specification peppered with
| potential patent liabilities" said NZOSS President Don Christie.
|
| "Patent threats have already been used to spread doubt amongst organisations
| keen to take advantage of the benefits of open source. No one knows whether
| such claims have any merit, but it is calculated to deter the development and
| use of open and alternative toolsets."
`----
http://nzoss.org.nz/node/179
Cyberlaw OOXML Seminar 14 December
,----[ Quote ]
| However, this raises the issue - what assurance does a developer have that
| such a large specification is not the subject of third party patent claims?
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| The pedigree of the specification is certainly no reason for hope, Microsoft
| has been the target of third party patent claims for some time now including
| some high profile losses in patent suits. The fact that the specification has
| been developed behind closed doors and on a fast track means that there has
| been no adequate opportunity to evaluate the likelihood of third party patent
| claims against the specifications. The sheer size of the document suggests
| there will be at least a couple hiding in there somewhere.
`----
http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/cyberlaw-ooxml-seminar-14-december/
ISO warned about possible patent violations of DIS29500 (aka OOXML)
,----[ Quote ]
| I have just send the following email to ISO members (you can find some of
| their email addresses on the INCTIS website) to warn them about the possible
| patent ambush...
`----
http://jeremywang67.blogspot.com/2008/01/iso-warned-about-possible-patent.html
|
|
