Hi, I have two thoughts about inserting ads into the OS and both are bad.
First, those of us who use VoiceOver do not need any distracting other sounds that are not the result of an action we had taken or (like the tone when an email arrives) we expect to happen. Second, some times we need to get some bit of information off of a computer in a real hurry and waiting for Ford to show us its latest underpowered version of the once classic Mustang would be incredibly frustrating. I suppose the only possible positive is that Apple could create two classes of Macintosh: a full priced MacBook Pro for $1199 or one locked down with ads for $599 giving a slightly crippled solution to people who want to save some money. The "already paid for it" argument lacks real substance as I already paid for our LED television but I still have to watch commercials even though I paid my cable bill and for my Bose home entertainment system, etc. No matter how much hardware I slap onto our system, I still hear commercials. cdh On Nov 17, 2009, at 5:47 PM, Brent Harding wrote: > I don't get what Apple would want this in MacOSX for anyways. If we are > paying for it, it should be ad free. I'd hate to think too, if you did > streaming to a shoutcast server, they could insert audio into that, which > one may not want to happen. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Karen Lewellen" <klewel...@shellworld.net> > To: "list voiceover" <macvisionaries@googlegroups.com> > Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 4:04 PM > Subject: + Buy Apple computers and pay and pay and pay (fwd) > > > I got this on another list. They cannot be serious? Can you imagine what > this would sound like, not to mention the gross intrusion on computing? > The list of possible places for these ads, is frightening. > > > > Original URL: > http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/16/intrusive_apple_ad_patent/ > Apple seeks OS-jacking advert patent > > > It's an ad ad ad ad world > > By Rik Myslewski in San Francisco > > Posted in Operating Systems, 16th November 2009 20:27 GMT > > Hitachi IT Operations Analyzer: 30-day free trial. > > Apple has filed a patent application for an intrusive ad-presentation system > that requires users to acknowledge adverts before getting on with their > work. > > The recent patent filing > (http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220090265214%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20090265214&RS=DN/20090265214) > carries the unusually straightforward title "Advertisement in Operating > System." The described system would be buried deep in a device's OS - so > deep > that, in the words of the filing, "the advertisement presentation can in > effect > 'take over the system' in relevant aspects for a limited time." > > The filing specifically describes the system as "disabling" normal operation > of > a device while the ad is being presented. The ad - either "visual or > audible" - > could be presented in a window on top of all other open windows, in a > background window, or even in an application window or "inserted in content > from an application program." > > If we're deciphering Apple's patentese correctly, this mean that you could > be > working in, say, Photoshop, and a new canvas could pop up containing a > mouth-watering illo of some tasty treat from Frito-Lay - and you couldn't > get > back to work until you somehow acknowledged the ad by, for example, clicking > as > directed. > > Or, for that matter, since an ad could be "inserted in content from an > application program," you could be merrily coding along in BBEdit when a > couple > of lines appeared in your code suggesting that you investigate Travelocity's > latest package deal - and you'd not be able to complete your job until you, > as > suggested in the filing, performed one of many possible actions. > > These actions might result in the system "causing presentation of a page > from > an advertiser associated with the advertisement; recording a user rating of > the > advertisement; again presenting the advertisement; sharing the advertisement > with another user; initiating a transaction for user purchase of a product > that > eliminates the presentation of advertisements on the device," among other > possibilities. > > As is usually the case in such filings, the range of possible devices is a > long > one, "including without limitation, portable and desktop computers, servers, > electronics, media players, game devices, mobile phones, wireless devices, > email devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), embedded devices, > televisions, set top boxes, etc." > > The appearance of servers on that list is particularly troubling, seeing as > how > their inclusion might imply a network-based version of ad delivery and > enforced > response. > > If you really want to get your conspiratorial juices flowing, remember that > Apple has filed a series of patents relating to location-based content. > Using > its OS ad system in tandem with another resent filing > (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/10/itunes_on_location/), Apple could > interrupt your use of Poop the World > (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/poop-the-world/id310125724?mt=8) as you > passed > your local purveyor of fine toiletries to let you know that you could pop in > and save big on three-ply tissue. > > Although it boggles the mind that Apple would take such a draconian approach > to > ad delivery, the authors of this particular patent filing are listed as > "Jobs; > Steven; et al." Clearly, the man has ads on the brain. > > Note also that Apple is said to be taking a deeper interest in ad-serving > technologies. For example, Bloomberg reported > (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=afcIzFP3iNrY) on > Saturday that the ever-talkative "people familiar with the matter" told it > that > Apple had been in acquisition talks with AdMob, the mobile-advertising > supplier > that Google bought > (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/09/google_to_buy_admob/) last week for > $750m. > > Apple is not the only operating system vendor displaying an interest in > acquiring a piece of ad-revenue pie. Microsoft is also providing ad > opportunities > (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/13/windows_7_advertisers/) > that are now available as downloadable desktop themes, but that may soon > extend > to Windows 7 borders and sounds, gadgets, and IE 8 add-ons that would send > users to an advertiser's website. ® > > > > > > > http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/14/apple_location_aware_patents/ > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=. > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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