|
|
|
| Authored by: Winter on Wednesday, May 29 2013 @ 03:29 AM EDT |
WHO calls Middle Eastern virus, MERS, ‘threat to the
entire world’ as death toll rises
The researchers have made the
"original" step to patent the virus. Before we all howl of indignation, it might
be worth to check the history of the researchers. They have worked hard to get
better vaccines and make them available to as many people as possible.
As usual, those who try to prevent disasters are punished severely
(all those disaster movies got that right). See, eg, Ron Foucher's problems for
finding out that bird flu can evolve to a human transmittable disease in The
Deadliest Virus. Both researchers mentioned have been harassed by officials,
the media, and the drug companies. Osterhaus has been vilified in the media for
selling out the health of the Netherlands for financial profit when he tried to
prevent previous epidemics.
Knowing the political and research
situation in the Netherlands, their history and personalities, and their work
situation, I am pretty sure they will not hamper the development and
distribution of vaccines and drugs by even a hair's breadth.
I think
this is a very interesting experiment. It might also be an attempt to prevent
national actions like the one done by Indonesia a few years ago. Then, Indonesia
claimed ownership of a deadly bird-flu virus collected in Indonesia, and was
actively blocking research on the virus. However, I wonder whether it will work.
Personally, I hope it will drive some nails in the coffin of the patentability
of DNA/RNA sequences.
---
Some say the sun rises in the east, some say
it rises in the west; the truth lies probably somewhere in between. [ Reply to This | Parent | # ]
|
| |
| Authored by: Ronny on Wednesday, May 29 2013 @ 04:24 AM EDT |
The XBox One (Microsoft's upcoming next-generation console) has a couple of
wrinkles that make this especially disturbing.
(1) The Kinect device which "watches" you is always on and
"aware", even when the console is nominally "off". This is
supposedly to allow the voice commands to turn the console on.
(2) The console checks into the Microsoft servers at minimum every 24 hours, in
order to check that you have a valid licence for the games you have installed.
All games must be installed to be played. (It's likely, but not yet certain,
that this process only happens when the console is "on".) The purpose
for this is nominally to prevent trade in "used" games - or more
precisely, to make sure that MS and the publisher get a cut of any such trade.
Rumour has it that this was implemented largely due to a push by Electronic
Arts.
Of course (2) also means that Microsoft will always have a complete list of the
games that you have purchased.
One other... interesting point is that the console does not identify which
person has issued a voice command by their voice - instead the camera in the
Kinect tracks you.
On the plus side, on paper the specs of the PS4 seem to be slightly better, so
unless you particularly want one of the Microsoft exclusives or are desperate to
play games and watch TV at the same time, the PS4 is looking to be the better.[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]
|
| |
| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, May 29 2013 @ 06:22 AM EDT |
| Ransomware is one of those hideous forms of
malware that us computer techies dread. It takes the form of locking a computer
up so the owner can't gain access to his own property unless he pays a ransom
extorted by the criminals responsible for the malware.
Microsoft Windows
indeed fits this description, particularly with the new MSWin8 twist that when
you buy a new PC you can't get access to the computer when booting it the first
time until you click on Microsoft's Windows8 EULA, Well, the Windows
8 setup environment doesn't offer that reboot icon. Turn on a brand new Windows
8 system and you have two choices - agree to the Windows 8 license, or power the
machine off.
But the real problem is that it takes away from the
computer techies the option of turning the PC off, sticking in a CD or USB stick
and booting in that safe environment. So you find you have clients with PCs you
can't fix, because the ransomware won't allow you to fix the computer, you can't
add software from anywhere else, because the ransomware won't allow it, and you
can't reboot gthe computer and get at the ransomware with software from a
safe-boot environment. (I have encountered ransomware - purportedly anti-malware
that took over an XP PC, but because it wasn't running Microsoft's specification
EUFI, and it was XP - be thankful for small mercies - I was able to download
software that successfully erased it - but I wasn't too happy about the software
I had to use,, because it was proprietary, and I considered the tight match
between malware and malware killer software a wee too tight for
comfort.)
Wesley Parish[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]
|
| |
| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, May 29 2013 @ 07:10 AM EDT |
[PJ: They patented a virus? Who let that happen?]
The imbecilic rubber stamping ditto monkeys at the USPTO?[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]
|
| |
| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, May 29 2013 @ 01:48 PM EDT |
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-05-24-microsoft-
applies-for-patent-on-tv-achievements?utm_source=feedly
>"Additionally, by tying the awards and achievements to
particular items of video or advertising content, viewers may be
encouraged to increase their viewership of the content, thus
increasing advertising opportunities," according to the
application.
PJ wrote: A device in your house that watches you watching it
and judges your conduct.]
Most eBook readers track what you read. At least one of them
gives awards for achieving certain milestones. I _ think_ that a
gratis book or two can be collected as a "reward" every number
of achievements.
Regardless, I don't understand how Microsoft, or anybody can
get a patent on that type of non-invention. Not only was it
described in _1984_, but elaborations, including schematics, can
be found in both technical and popular journals from the late
fifties and early sixties.
Granted, I didn't read that patent. I only read patents when I am
fairly confident that I have material in the bookcase within reach
of my computer, that proves beyond any shadow of doubt that
the USPTO has once more granted a non-invention a patent in
violation of US Constitutional Law, US Statute Law, US Case Law,
and USPTO Rules and Regulations. [ Reply to This | Parent | # ]
|
| |
| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, May 29 2013 @ 02:35 PM EDT |
Link
Kappos, former director
of the USPTO, rode that revolving door right into Cravath, Swaine & Moore.
("It is now one of the most profitable law firms in the world" -wiki)
He was a
"development engineer" at IBM.
It is indeed sad that 'engineers' like
Kappos , Quinn, and others need to abandon logic, reason, common sense, and a
minimum ethical standard, in order to preserve their incomes. I guess they are
no different than the robber barons.
They are giving real engineers a
bad name.
[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]
|
| |
| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, May 29 2013 @ 02:39 PM EDT |
Li
nk
During a wide-ranging interview at the D11 conference
earlier this evening, Cook told interviewers Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher that
Apple plans to open up iOS more for developers. It won’t do anything that risks
the user experience, but it will make it more open.
ROFL
Pardon my skepticism [ Reply to This | Parent | # ]
|
- Apple style open - Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, May 30 2013 @ 01:37 PM EDT
|
|
|
|
