Microsoft Interrupts This Broadcast…

from the patently-so dept

theodp writes “Microsoft has filed for a patent covering the display of “annoying notifications” that demand payment of your overdue bill when you attempt to change the television channel. Check out the images, which illustrate how the kiddies will be informed Daddy’s a deadbeat when they change the channel away from Sesame Street!” It’s worth noting, of course, this is just an application, not a granted patent.


Rate this comment as insightful
Rate this comment as funny
You have rated this comment as insightful
You have rated this comment as funny
Flag this comment as abusive/trolling/spam
You have flagged this comment
The first word has already been claimed
The last word has already been claimed
Insightful Lightbulb icon Funny Laughing icon Abusive/trolling/spam Flag icon Insightful badge Lightbulb icon Funny badge Laughing icon Comments icon

Comments on “Microsoft Interrupts This Broadcast…”

Subscribe: RSS Leave a comment
13 Comments
The Truth Beacon says:

Re: Read the patent

And you will see that this is not just to deliver an annoying billing popup, but this is actually to deliver any kind of pop-up that is use specific on television. As a few other respondants have pointed out, I believe that this will be used more for preventing issues such as Spam from infiltrating new media experiences such as interactive media PC’s. There is obvious room for malicious intent or usage, but there is little these days which does not have such possibilities.

And as a targeted response to the person above who believes the patent system is corrupt – you are quite misguided. Granted, it is misused for some ideas, it protects people like me who have to come public with an original idea to get the vast funding necessary to develop the idea, without someone else having the necessary resources stealing it and claiming credit for my invention. I have already lost one idea to not being able to patent, because there are far too many greedy and selfish people in the world to do without the patent system, or similar systems of personal protection.

Onur Kabadayi (user link) says:

Privacy issues VS microsoft TV, VISTA

Check out this interesting post which is revolving around Microsoft’s IPTV & Windows Vista

The decade ahead of us will bring a totally new dimension to all the privacy and security related evil…

Quite an interesting brainstorming session on what hacking 2.0, dirty marketing 2.0, big brotherism 2.0, and even voyeurism 2.0 might look like, and their implications on our lives!

Neo Marketing. New Marketing.

Dale Albiston says:

not a bad idea actually

consider this..

(all assuming the patent is granted)

microsoft, and only microsoft can do this, and they *will* enforce the patent. thus this should stop a lot of the shadier end of the spectrum being able to do this.

its a trade off, some irritating ads and not loads, plus of course with fewer sources actually blocking them should be simpler (I hope).

the whole idea is daft, and will annoy people, but its kind of like if microsoft had a patent on spam email, they could do it but it would reduce others doing so.

obvious flaw #1: the routine will be cracked and used by people who don’t care that microsft has the patent…

windows messenger service all over again really.

sigh.

Leave a Reply to Tigger Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Have a Techdirt Account? Sign in now. Want one? Register here

Comment Options:

Make this the or (get credits or sign in to see balance) what's this?

What's this?

Techdirt community members with Techdirt Credits can spotlight a comment as either the "First Word" or "Last Word" on a particular comment thread. Credits can be purchased at the Techdirt Insider Shop »

Follow Techdirt

Techdirt Daily Newsletter

Ctrl-Alt-Speech

A weekly news podcast from
Mike Masnick & Ben Whitelaw

Subscribe now to Ctrl-Alt-Speech »
Techdirt Deals
Techdirt Insider Discord
The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...
Loading...