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2012/01/06 19:33:36
Subject: Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
REDMOND, Wash. (CBS Seattle) – Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
A GPS device is used to find shortcuts and avoid traffic, but Microsoft’s patent states that a route can be plotted for pedestrians to avoid an “unsafe neighborhood or being in an open area that is subject to harsh temperatures.”
Created for mobile phones, the technology uses the latest crime statistics and weather data and includes them when calculating a route.
The patent, written in a combination of tech-speak and legalese, was awarded to Microsoft earlier this week. It also described other uses for the new GPS technology.
One section of the patent mentioned that advertisers can use the technology to navigate a user through a newly set up ad campaign.
Microsoft declined to comment to CBS Seattle.
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
2012/01/06 19:59:43
Subject: Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
SHould call it the "this tourist don't wanna die" app.
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
2012/01/06 20:14:28
Subject: Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
2012/01/07 18:32:32
Subject: Re:Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
But the implication of the advertisement bit is that users would be told to follow an alternate route from the shortest one just so x number of signs/branches would be passed. Seems a bit exploitive to me. =/
2012/01/07 19:05:05
Subject: Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
"An open area that is subject to harsh temperatures"? I suppose if you were traversing the Sahara or the Atticama then that would be useful, but seriously, WTF happened to common sense?!
As for the 'Avoid Ghettos' part, well that could actually be useful. But why, if Microsoft want people too avoid 'Ghetto Areas', would they just not bother putting them on the GPS devices in the first place?
That way, Microsoft could delete places like Croydon and Salford completely and the world would be a better place...
2012/01/07 19:37:39
Subject: Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
Because this way they can gain another patent by which they can sue the pants off of a competitor.
Reminds me of ubersoft:
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/01/07 19:38:23
The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
My blog
2012/01/07 19:43:44
Subject: Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
Or "avoid trailer park trash" area? Man those things are eyesores.
And so are the trailers.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/01/07 19:55:20
The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
My blog
2012/01/07 20:54:02
Subject: Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
Waiting for my shill money from Spiral Arm Studios
Why is it that people immediatly assume this is going to be racist? In a way, assuming its racist is actually being racist yourself.
Its going to go off of cold hard facts, crime levels. There are plenty of white ghettos too you know(and mexican ghettos and irish ghettos...)
Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines
Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.
There should also be an app just for equality purposes called "Avoid country-ass rednecks." This guy should have had it. (Warning, NSFW, but sooo funny.)
Spoiler:
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
2012/01/07 21:41:42
Subject: Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
The part that concerned me is that your route can apparently be changed at the whim of anyone who pays microsoft enough money. Not to mention how they chose to interpret 'crime statistics' in their route plotting.
The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
My blog
2012/01/07 21:48:47
Subject: Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
SilverMK2 wrote:The part that concerned me is that your route can apparently be changed at the whim of anyone who pays microsoft enough money. Not to mention how they chose to interpret 'crime statistics' in their route plotting.
Suddenly, all Apple Stores are the center of criminal activity in their respective locations.
Microsoft has stumbled on the truth, Steve Jobs was Keyser Söze.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/01/07 22:42:55
Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.
2012/01/07 23:13:26
Subject: Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
FBI crime statistics are how we allocate law enforcement funding. It's very simple, bad areas have higher than average violent crimes per person per square mile. If you map crimes per person per square mile, you'll have red zones. Avoid the red zones where reasonable using the same algorithm used to avoid construction or avoid toll roads.
Easy peasy.
A lot of you guys are getting way too freaked out about this. The methodology behind it is not even remotely new.
2012/01/07 23:19:09
Subject: Re:Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
Grey Templar wrote:Why is it that people immediatly assume this is going to be racist? In a way, assuming its racist is actually being racist yourself.
Its going to go off of cold hard facts, crime levels. There are plenty of white ghettos too you know(and mexican ghettos and irish ghettos...)
Mexicans (is that Hispanic or Latino?) are not 'white' and white-irish are a recognised ethnic group distinct to your standard caucasian.
So yes, it would still be racist to isolate these ghettos along with black neighbourhoods based on these demographics.
2012/01/07 23:21:44
Subject: Re:Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
Howard A Treesong wrote:So yes, it would still be racist to isolate these ghettos along with black neighbourhoods based on these demographics.
No, it would be racist to do it based on race. If you did it based on crime numbers and ended up isolating them, you are at worst accidentally racist. Intent really matters.
2012/01/07 23:22:49
Subject: Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
Rented Tritium wrote:FBI crime statistics are how we allocate law enforcement funding. It's very simple, bad areas have higher than average violent crimes per person per square mile. If you map crimes per person per square mile, you'll have red zones. Avoid the red zones where reasonable using the same algorithm used to avoid construction or avoid toll roads.
Easy peasy.
So they could create an algorithm that factors in the frequency of monster truck ralleys, guys married to their sisters and fewest teeth per square mile...
Rented Tritium wrote:FBI crime statistics are how we allocate law enforcement funding. It's very simple, bad areas have higher than average violent crimes per person per square mile. If you map crimes per person per square mile, you'll have red zones. Avoid the red zones where reasonable using the same algorithm used to avoid construction or avoid toll roads.
Easy peasy.
So they could create an algorithm that factors in the frequency of monster truck ralleys, guys married to their sisters and fewest teeth per square mile...
An algorithm that avoids high crime areas already avoids those things
2012/01/07 23:31:50
Subject: Re:Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
Howard A Treesong wrote:So yes, it would still be racist to isolate these ghettos along with black neighbourhoods based on these demographics.
No, it would be racist to do it based on race. If you did it based on crime numbers and ended up isolating them, you are at worst accidentally racist. Intent really matters.
I'm not disagreeing, based on crime stats would be fair (though how you use the crime stats it debatable), but based on labelling areas using demographics like 'irish' and 'mexican' would be.
But why put the emphasis on 'ghettos' rather than 'high crime areas'?
How you use the crime stats is of importance because it can be abused. For instance, would overall crime numbers be of use, or only the violent crimes? Do you take the absolute crime numbers, or a relative number based on the local population size?
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/01/07 23:34:32
2012/01/07 23:36:03
Subject: Microsoft has been granted a patent for its “avoid ghetto” feature for GPS devices.
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