[LINK] More on OS advertising patents

[Rick Welykochy]

Ivan Trundle wrote:
> Steve Jobs at it again. Same comment as before (they might or might not choose to either implement it, or allow others to use it.
>
> <http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220090265214%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20090265214&RS=DN/20090265214>
>
> "Among other disclosures, an operating system presents one or more advertisements to a user and disables one or more functions while the advertisement is being presented. At the end of the advertisement, the operating system again enables the function(s). The advertisement can be visual or audible. The presentation of the advertisement(s) can be made as part of an approach where the user obtains a good or service, such as the operating system, for free or at reduced cost."

Sounds absolutely vile.

In no way would a computer professional, system admin or IT manager want any
such tinkering with the operating system they are using in production, either
on the desktop or as a server.

Even a home user would find such an intrusion inconvenient at best and downright
crippling when the machine is left unattended.

Come to think of it, why should anyone put up with advertising in any device
they have paid for and own outright, be it a car, a fridge or an MP3 player?
Vile to the max. Or if they have paid for a licence to use something like an OS
or other software, the intrusion of ads is still unjustified.

I was quite surprised with the introduction of extensive advertising in
situations where we, the consumer, have already paid for a service.

Example: at the cinema we used to enjoy (or not) a short doco or some
cartoons before the main feature. Nowaways we sit through endless ads
and trailers promoting consumable junk we don't want before seeing
the feature. The upside is that one can be 10 or 15 minutes late for
and still see the main event.

Example: we pay good money to rent VHS tapes (once upon a time) and DVDs.
But we are forced to sit through the same guff, and on the DVD we cannot
even FF through it all.

The counter to complaints such as mine is "there are sectors in the demo-
graphic that enjoy the ads!" If that is so, the distribute ad-only content
on separate DVDs please.

cheers
rickw


-- 
_________________________________
Rick Welykochy || Praxis Services

A lie can travel halfway around the world
while the truth is putting on its shoes.
      -- Mark Twain