So, once your idea gets into the public domain at all (regardless of any non-compete/non-disclosure agreements, even), that starts the patent-process clock ticking. Show it to a friend, and you have begun...
Not quite. You need to get it where it would be reasonably accessible by a member of the public were they to be interested, so non-disclosure agreements (or even an implicit understanding of limited distribution, but that's a little murkier) prevent it from being prior art.
Of course claiming media only makes it patentable when it meets certain other particular limitations (i.e. excludes signals, operates on a computer (thus excluding mental processes), etc.).
Has anyone actually praising Bush for passing this stopped to think about the fact that it had enough support from Congress that it would've been pushed through even if he had vetoed it? So all he would have accomplished is delaying the inevitable and burning through what little public goodwill he has left.
The problem with using reCAPTCHA and assuming that you're helping them digitize old books is that they (initially) only know one of the two words they ask you to type in. So if you get it correct then you can have anything at all typed in for the other word and it will still accept it. Now CMU has an incorrect word somewhere in their database, at least until they show that same word to other people who solve it correctly. Plus, it's only a matter of time until the SOTA OCR software improves sufficiently and this captcha is broken also. What is needed is a new system, not an incremental increase in the current system that's falling apart before our eyes.
I'm not trying to knock reCAPTCHA at all, I think it's a worthy cause and a decent temporary security fix, but it's not the be-all end-all solution to stop spammers.
C'mon, they're not that bad. Just look at Google's cached copy (or block all experts-exhange cookies) so it's not all gibberish and there's often some decent information to be found.
While I whole-heartedly support the right and inclination of workers to stand up for their rights (being a union member myself), but have you considered the fact that not all injustice is of the negative variety? If the workers they canned were being unduly overpaid (perhaps even grossly so, as others have mentioned) to begin with, then, in fact, Circuit City would be promoting fair compensation for their employees by firing the highest paid workers and hiring the new ones at more equitable wages.
And see here I thought that's one of the biggest reasons for religion too. I mean, I know plenty of people that use church primarily as a singles club.
I don't think this is quite as clear-cut as your analogy - in the case mentioned it would be more like the manager calling you at home the next week. Stopping you on your way to the car would be what they claimed they would do, but didn't.
...or maybe we could just expect parents to actually watch what their children browse on internet and/or realize that they won't be scarred for life by seeing some "questionable" content. Heaven forbid we actually educate the next generation as opposed to simply making it easier for us to pretend that things won't exist in our kids' world just because they don't see them.
Even if you can't use Ctrl+Alt+Del I've found that many public terminals will still let you right click on the taskbar and get to the Task Manager that way. It's amazing what security holes slip through when they have more than one access point.
Slashdot Mirror
Whoosh!
Except, of course, for Rock-Paper-Scissors-Spock-Lizard.
Seriously - is it too hard to note that it's only a Patent Application at this point?
Does that make this Beyond Thunderdome?
FYI, the only thing that matters is whether it was novel and non-obvious as of September 13, 2004 (the filing date of the patent).
When I heard this one it was a math student giving directions and a business student in the balloon. You get one for every field I guess.
Not quite. You need to get it where it would be reasonably accessible by a member of the public were they to be interested, so non-disclosure agreements (or even an implicit understanding of limited distribution, but that's a little murkier) prevent it from being prior art.
Of course claiming media only makes it patentable when it meets certain other particular limitations (i.e. excludes signals, operates on a computer (thus excluding mental processes), etc.).
To steal from an old RPG: Lies, damned lies, statistics, and computer modeling.
Has anyone actually praising Bush for passing this stopped to think about the fact that it had enough support from Congress that it would've been pushed through even if he had vetoed it? So all he would have accomplished is delaying the inevitable and burning through what little public goodwill he has left.
The problem with using reCAPTCHA and assuming that you're helping them digitize old books is that they (initially) only know one of the two words they ask you to type in. So if you get it correct then you can have anything at all typed in for the other word and it will still accept it. Now CMU has an incorrect word somewhere in their database, at least until they show that same word to other people who solve it correctly. Plus, it's only a matter of time until the SOTA OCR software improves sufficiently and this captcha is broken also. What is needed is a new system, not an incremental increase in the current system that's falling apart before our eyes.
I'm not trying to knock reCAPTCHA at all, I think it's a worthy cause and a decent temporary security fix, but it's not the be-all end-all solution to stop spammers.
C'mon, they're not that bad. Just look at Google's cached copy (or block all experts-exhange cookies) so it's not all gibberish and there's often some decent information to be found.
A shop without a sign?
While I whole-heartedly support the right and inclination of workers to stand up for their rights (being a union member myself), but have you considered the fact that not all injustice is of the negative variety? If the workers they canned were being unduly overpaid (perhaps even grossly so, as others have mentioned) to begin with, then, in fact, Circuit City would be promoting fair compensation for their employees by firing the highest paid workers and hiring the new ones at more equitable wages.
My vote would have to be for incompetently evil except for the fact that they manage to make so damned much money.
And see here I thought that's one of the biggest reasons for religion too. I mean, I know plenty of people that use church primarily as a singles club.
...and if you're really lucky you can get a stunning blonde werewolf!
If we're all going to die anyways, who cares about worldwide panic?
I don't think this is quite as clear-cut as your analogy - in the case mentioned it would be more like the manager calling you at home the next week. Stopping you on your way to the car would be what they claimed they would do, but didn't.
...or maybe we could just expect parents to actually watch what their children browse on internet and/or realize that they won't be scarred for life by seeing some "questionable" content. Heaven forbid we actually educate the next generation as opposed to simply making it easier for us to pretend that things won't exist in our kids' world just because they don't see them.
Just a thought.
Who said he was talking about anti-depressants?
Even if you can't use Ctrl+Alt+Del I've found that many public terminals will still let you right click on the taskbar and get to the Task Manager that way. It's amazing what security holes slip through when they have more than one access point.