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Microsoft Seeking Hot-Or-Not Patent
theodp writes "In its just-disclosed patent application for the Online Personal Appearance Advisor, Microsoft describes the 'invention' of its three Microsoft Research employees in these words: 'The contributor uploads self images for viewing and rating (or voting) by viewers who choose provide an opinion on different fashion and/or cosmetic looks of the contributor.' So what do you think — is Microsoft's invention really Hot or Not?"
Well Hot or Not is mainly about breasts and not about fashion. This is what might differ.
It depends. What is your annual income?
Like anyone in their right mind would take the advice from MS on fashion issues. They have a hard enough time trying to keep their OS running and that's their main job. If they can't do that I hardly think their fashion advice will be any better.
Microsoft makes some products that include a great deal of utility. If their products contained less vulnerability, they would be interesting. As it sits though, unless you have some need they serve that's worth hooking into the abusive relationship they insist on with their customers, it's best to go with something else.
And yes, what we've seen of W7 doesn't look as bad as Vista. Until we see the product they release though, we know nothing. Often they've screwed the pooch at the last moment.
Help stamp out iliturcy.
I think a lot of these bogus patent filings from Microsoft simply show that the people at Microsoft have not the slightest idea of what is going on in the real world. Microsoft is designing software for the last century. Even Bing is merely a Google clone.
I hate sunlight ... I'm pasty white ... Am I hot or not?
I think you'll be better off asking this question on a necrophile discussion group...
I'm sure that MS will sell Windows 7 to OEMs to be shipped on new PCs - there probably won't be as much resistance as Vista saw
(Which I'm taking to mean that you think most people will be mostly happy to keep Windows 7 on new systems).
but unlike many of the previous Windows releases, most XP users generally seem to be pretty happy with the status quo to I'm not really expecting to see huge numbers of people flock to the shops to buy upgrades for their existing systems.
That may be a red herring then; as far as I'm aware, the majority of new OS installations nowadays occur on new computers rather then existing systems. In other words, most people get the new OS when it's installed on a new computer (doing all their "upgrades" in one go by buying a new computer).
So if it's offered on the new computer and they're happy (enough) with that, then Windows 7 will eventually be a success.
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[0003]A variation on this model is also applied to rating websites where users can rate other on physical appearance, pets, personality and other user traits and attributes. In voting sites, typically, it is a general purpose question posed to viewers, and once the viewers have answered the question they tend to leave the website to do something else. In other rating websites, when viewers have rated an image, the viewers are presented with a seemingly endless series of other images to be rated or voted on, the purpose of which is to generate a flow experience so the viewers will stay at the website to continue participating. This process can generate revenue for advertisers by presenting advertisements while the viewers are voting. Moreover, there is a fascination with anonymously critiquing the appearance of another person.
So, Microsoft is claiming this invention does something more than that. Now, l haven't read it, so I can't comment further, but the discussion should be "what's the supposed improvement", not "zomg Microsoft has never heard of Hot or Not!"
The problem with telling people to wait is that there's a certain number that have already waited quite a bit. Even aside from new operating systems and service packs you'll always get a better computer for your $x00.00 if you buy a few months from now than if you buy now. Computer components keep improving and prices keep going down. But sooner or later the buyer has to bite the bullet and decide to act on a given sale.
I think there's a certain significant number of people who feel they are ready for and/or NEED a better computer than what they currently have and are only postponing because they've heard bad things about Vista and that Win7 is on the horizon. But tell those people who have already waited a year or more for this reason that they ought to wait a vague but significant amount of time more for a service pack or two to be released and they'll decide it's not worth the wait anymore. Their experience already IS poor. They are running ancient RAM that is pricey to upgrade. They don't have the processing power to play the games they want. Some component is on the verge of biting the dust or perhaps it already has. The number of people who have been waiting and waiting to buy that computer they would have long since bought if not for Vista are likely to flood to new computers once 7 is released. Perhaps not the day of release but just long enough to get some good reviews back and a decent sale to appear.
Sure, there will be a number of people whose computers aren't nearing their end of life just yet that can hold off until SP1 or even SP2 but telling someone who really is ready for a new computer now to wait that long is not very reasonable.