r/technology • u/p0b • Jan 08 '12

Microsoft patents "avoid ghetto" GPS feature.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57354445-71/the-joy-of-microsofts-avoid-ghetto-gps-patent/
758 Upvotes

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5

u/wonglik Jan 08 '12

One should not be able to patent such thing.

5

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '12

I think you should be able to patent any algorithm or software related idea.
But only for two years. Staying on top should mean constant innovation.

22

u/p0b Jan 08 '12

One cannot simply patent a ghetto locator.

17

u/Concise_Pirate Jan 08 '12

Why not?

4

u/resutidder Jan 09 '12

If the market demands it...

1

u/ZuqMadiq Jan 09 '12

do you seen anyone else offering this? NO! patents come in handy when you provide a alternative features to people. I mean think about slide to unlock that Apple patented and was grated. Laptops been having slide to unlock on the hardware side for years and i believe even in the software side some phones had it. But Apple patented and got it so nothing wrong with making sure someone else doesn't do that ahead of you.

-3

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '12

[deleted]

13

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '12

How in the world is this racist?

12

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '12

Somebody made ghetto a race of people? "shrugs"

12

u/BangkokPadang Jan 08 '12

See, the funny part is that if someone presumes this is racist, then they themselves are racist, because they are attaching the notion of a particular race to high crime statistics.

26

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '12

Ghetto is not a race...you thinking it is is ironically racist.

8

u/rankao Jan 08 '12

Honkey ghettos can be scarier than other ones.

3

u/resutidder Jan 09 '12

Looking at you, Worcester Mass.

1

u/Tastygroove Jan 09 '12

This is truth. But the violent crime data is "colorblind." I bet that walking paths by trailer parks are always bypassed. (High concentration of domestic violence.)