Software patents: Don't take for granted

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) in Washington DC has decided that in the future, instead of automatically granting a patent for a business practice, there will be a specific testing procedure to determine how patentable is that process. The decision is a nearly complete reversal of the court's controversial State Street Bank judgment of 1998, which started the stampede for patenting business practices.

Many people say the problem with a lot of business and software patents is that they describe simple things that many people consider normal daily procedures.
The ruling is likely to hit certain industries very hard, especially insurance, banking, accounting, and software. The decision is great for open source advocates. But it could mean a permanent change in the value of intangible assets, which comprise approximately 70 per cent of the average high-tech company’s market capitalization. With the world's economy sliding downhill at an increasing pace each day, this decision could cost US companies billions of dollars. Pamela Jones at Groklaw told the Examiner that because Microsoft doesn't make many machines, much of its patent portfolio just went up in smoke.

There is a speculation going on about if there will be an appeal in the US Supreme Court. Some legal experts say yes; others say it's not very likely because of the way the decision was worded.

So, many high-tech companies like Microsoft, Oracle might not earn as much money from software patent sector as they used to do. But, at the same time this decision will save a lot of companies cash by removing the need for endless patent protection schemes.

Internet makes people smarter, or does it?

Gary Small, a neuroscientist at UCLA in California who specializes in brain function, has found through studies that Internet searching and text messaging has made brains more adept at filtering information and making snap decisions. Small also said a study of 24 adults as they used the Web found that experienced Internet users showed double the activity in areas of the brain that control decision-making and complex reasoning as Internet beginners.

But while technology can accelerate learning and boost creativity it can have drawbacks as it can create Internet addicts whose only friends are virtual and has sparked a dramatic rise in Attention Deficit Disorder diagnoses. According to Small, the tech-savvy generation, whom he calls "digital natives," are always scanning for the next bit of new information which can create stress and even damage neural networks. Small said this multi-tasking could cause problems. There is also the big problem of neglecting human contact skills and losing the ability to read emotional expressions and body language.

So, it is clear that, the people in the next generation who are really going to have the edge are the ones who master the technological skills and also face-to-face skills. They will know when the best response to an email or Instant Message is to talk rather than sit and continue to email.

Overall, people have to find a way to blance between virtual life and real life to be successful. Only having technological skills with no communication skill or vice-versa is no longer enough to live a successful life.

Virtual Alterations

A neuroscientist at UCLA who specializes in brain function has reported evidence that Internet surfing and text messaging causes evloutionary changes in how the brain functions. Dr. Gary Small says research has found that actual use of the Internet strengthens the brain's ability to filter information and make quick decisions.

This has a familiar ring to it. Didn't the researchers some years ago discover that physical exercise would make the body stronger? Even to the point of designing routines to strengthen particular parts of the body or particular muscles? Should we expect this technological use of one of the strongest muscles (the brain) to be unaffected?

There is a downside. This activity can result in addiction to the internet(I have heard of a few case of work-out addiction). Addicts whose only friends are virtual have sparked an increase in the number of diagnosed cases of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Now ADD won't be limited as the diagnosis of the day for 2nd graders. Look out! Here comes the ritalin.

Another risk of addiction is the loss of social skills. The inability to read body language and have face-to-face interaction with real people may be the sad result. Dr. Small believes that people of the next generation who will be the most successful will ge those that have developed technological skills (with corresponding changes in the brain circuitry), but who have not lost their social skills in the process.

"The Alzeimer's Reading Room", reports this news as a positive benefit for counteracting the development of some forms of dementia. As with any new development it is important to tread the new ground carefully. It took a long time to discover that smoking tobacco and inhaling asbestos fibers would result in lung disease. Let us hope and pray that the next generation will not have to explain what happened to all of us ignorant citizens who got some new affliction from surfing the internet.

Immovable Object or Irrestible Force

In news related to the Panopticon Sort topic, scientists have developed an application for securing data from unwanted observers. While the Panopticon Sort provides opportunity for global and perpetual observation of subjects, quantum cryptography provides security from unwanted observation. In the original Panopticon theory, the expectation was that those being observed would change their behavior because they were being watched. Quantum cryptography provides that if there is unwanted observation (interception) the encryption code will change to prevent observation. Sorta like closing the window shade to keep from being observed.

European research has developed this secure encryption technology. The system is based on theories originated by Albert Einstein in his research on relativity. A by-product of that research opened up a whole new field of quantum physics. The quantum theory is based on the expectation that any observation in an experiment affects the outcome of the experiment.

Translation of encrypted data is dependent on translation keys. If those keys are transmitted electronically they might be intercepted without anyone else being aware of the breach. At the moment the only secure method to transmit keys for encrypted codes is by way of a courier (a person on a bike or other vehicle) with the code in a locked bag. Any interception of this transmission would be known.

Quantum methods of encryption get around this by sending encoded messages and translation code in pulses of light particles called photons. The photon has the property of changing if it is intercepted and/or observed. The change signals that the code has been intercepted and the data of the transmission altered by the interception.

Expected first application of this technology is still about seven years away and will probably find use in transmission of data to and from satellites. This will require the launch of new satellites.

Subsequent application may be to provide the highly desired security for your privacy on Face book or other open web sites.

Unquestionably, research has already started to find a way to overcome this immovable object (secure encryption of data) with an irresistible force (superpanopticon sort).

Consolidation: Will it work for Ebay?

As it was mentioned in Buzz Out Loud's episode 824, Ebay, the online auction company, has decided to lay off about 10 percent of its workforce. The company also announced plans to acquire online payments business Bill Me Later for $820 million in cash and approximately $125 million in outstanding options, as well as Danish classifieds specialist Den Bla Avis and vehicle site BilBasen for approximately $390 million in cash.

While many people think that acquisition is good for any business, other people think acquisition is not a good 'growth' strategy. In this Ebay's instance, Ebay is buying those companies by sacrificing their workforce. eBay said its workforce reduction, which cuts about 1,000 jobs, will result in a pretax restructuring charge of between $70 million and $80 million, which will be taken in the fourth quarter of 2008, eBay said. The online retailer will also let go several hundred temporary workers and reduce the number of open positions.

Now, the question is, is it a good decision by Ebay? Ebay was working fine with paypal. Bill Me Later is just another payment option along with paypal. On the other hand, Den Bla Avis is a classifieds specialist and BilBasen a vehicle site. The concern here is, Ebay may lose sight of their main business (what the do best) in trying to keep up with other kind of business (whose success is yet to be proved) Another concern is, is it really worthy to cut off their (Ebay's) own employees in expense of some new business?

References:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10058660-92.html?tag=mncol;txt

https://www.billmelater.com/index.xhtml

http://www.dba.dk/

http://www.bilbasen.dk/

No more cell phone carriers!

In BOL's episode #818, it is said that Google describes a vision for an open wireless world, one in which mobile devices are no longer married to particular cellular service providers. Typically, in the United States, when someone buys a phone, he has to sign a contract that prevents him from using that phone with more than one provider for a predetermined amount of time. The customer will encounter no such requirement when purchasing a laptop, which can be used to connect to the internet through any service provider at any time.

The Google patent for “Flexible Communication Systems and Methods” contends that cell phone users should also have the freedom to connect through various networks and methods, and that the communication service they choose at any particular time and location should be determined by competitive market forces. To understand how it will work, think this way--you could make phone calls and browse the internet on your smartphone via WiFi when at home, Verizon when downtown, and perhaps AT&T when out in the countryside.

In a way, the iPhone has already given us a taste of what this would be like. Now, what if this choice was available when on-the-go, and that you had five service providers to choose from instead of just two. It is not hard to imagine that the competition would lead to lower costs and better service. More precisely, you would not get stuck with a poor-quality carrier after moving or traveling to a place that has poor coverage.

For many customers, who are not satisfied with their phone carriers, yet can not quit it because of legal obligations, Google's patent can give them hope and in an advanced world, we believe that's the way it should be done.

Privacy Matters

In one of Buzz Out Loud's recent episodes (episode 808), it has been reported that iPhone can take screenshots of everything a user does, which can be recovered by hackers or forensics experts. Jonathan Zdziasrski, an iPhone hacker and data forensics expert, states that iPhone takes snapshots of user's most recent action including; but not limited to, text messages, email or web browsing in order to cache it.

This issue is percieved by many people as privacy compromise, as many of the users are not aware of this issue, or they did not agree to share their information with someone else. But, in order to get the information from the iPhone, the hackers will have to have physical access to the handset, which limits the risk of privacy invasion. Issues of privacy raise the question of whether remote access to the iPhone will be possible by hackers in the future or not. Zdziasrski demonstrates in his webcast how to break the passcode locks. If he can remotely access the iPhone in the future as well, he can demonstrate that as well.

With all of the issues stated here, there are some benefits to it, as well. Law enforcement agencies can use these screenshots to track criminal activities.

After knowing some of the facts about the iPhone screenshot cache, the question comes to our mind of is it really such a huge privacy risk with physical access being required, and is the potential investigative benefit worth that risk?