Several games on the PLATO system at University of Illinois used this patents techniques. Dogfight and Moonwar immediately come to mind. Those of us who did these style of games, called it Big Boards. People entered the game and went to the 'Big Board' where you could challenge another player. Cumulative scores were kept. Interactive chat was alway at the bottom of the Big Board so victims could be taunted.
In general, PLATO is a great source of prior art for anything the internet has reinvented - from chat rooms, threaded discusions, and game systems to more obscure possible patents like using remote controlled microfiche projectors for a rumble effects in airplane crash simulations and paging people by sending data to someone else's sound card.
All of this work was done BEFORE software patents were even a thought in some greedy buggers mind. Copywriting software was unusual then.
Evolution and the corporate lifeform
on
Monsanto and PCBs
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· Score: 5, Insightful
I have begun to consider corporations a separate evolving lifeform. Corporations have committed many acts inimical to human life. Tobacco companies, Monsanto, Hooker Chemicals - all acted to maximize their selection function (profit). Every superfund site has a similar corporate story. Unfortunately for those of us who have to live on this planet, maximizing health (human, animal or environmental) is not a part of their fitness-selection function.
Employees in cash stressed companies knows that in questions of "cash" vs "morals", cash usually overrules.
Corporations have totally warped the political process in the US since the mid 1970s when they were granted "equal" free-speech right in the political forum. Deep pockets and harassment lawsuits have allowed them to drown out public discourse and common sense.
Our problem is corporate survival has nothing to do with human survival.
Slashdot Mirror
Several games on the PLATO system at University of Illinois used this patents techniques. Dogfight and Moonwar immediately come to mind. Those of us who did these style of games, called it Big Boards. People entered the game and went to the 'Big Board' where you could challenge another player. Cumulative scores were kept. Interactive chat was alway at the bottom of the Big Board so victims could be taunted.
In general, PLATO is a great source of prior art for anything the internet has reinvented - from chat rooms, threaded discusions, and game systems to more obscure possible patents like using remote controlled microfiche projectors for a rumble effects in airplane crash simulations and paging people by sending data to someone else's sound card.
All of this work was done BEFORE software patents were even a thought in some greedy buggers mind. Copywriting software was unusual then.
I have begun to consider corporations a separate evolving lifeform. Corporations have committed many acts inimical to human life. Tobacco companies, Monsanto, Hooker Chemicals - all acted to maximize their selection function (profit). Every superfund site has a similar corporate story. Unfortunately for those of us who have to live on this planet, maximizing health (human, animal or environmental) is not a part of their fitness-selection function.
Employees in cash stressed companies knows that in questions of "cash" vs "morals", cash usually overrules.
Corporations have totally warped the political process in the US since the mid 1970s when they were granted "equal" free-speech right in the political forum. Deep pockets and harassment lawsuits have allowed them to drown out public discourse and common sense.
Our problem is corporate survival has nothing to do with human survival.