A US judged ruled that Google’s 3-D modeling software does not infringe the patent of a rival. Google Earth users can get an astronaut’s view of the earth and zoom in to where you park your car on the street. US District Court Judge Douglas Woodlock of Massachusetts dismissed the patent infringement suit by Skyline Software Systems. Skyline claimed Google tried to portray views of the Earth’s terrain, but Woodlock said that Google didn’t attempt to do that. Google purchased satellite image firm Keyhole in 2004 and renamed it Google Earth.
In related news, Bad Toelz Mayor in Germany demanded Google Earth delete a reference to “Mount Hitler“from the 3-D software. Mayor Andreas Wiedemann said residents have called the peak “Mount Hitler” for a brief period during the Third Reich, but that after World War Two it went back to the original name Heigel Kopf. Google Earth gives users both names of the mountain, but Wiedemann thinks it misleads. Google Germany spokesman Stefan Keuchel said the Hitler name appears as a “technical accident.” Google earth considers deleting the matter if they find no historical reason for its addition.
Olympic organizers opened a ticketing website today allowing Chinese residents to reserve tickets online for the 2008 Games. The web site announced organizers would distribute tickets in three phases and they would randomly give out tickets to over-subscribed events. Olympic organizers said overseas residents could purchase Olympic tickets from their national Olympic Committee or from designated outlets at the same price as Chinese residents. Tickets vary from 30 yuan or around three dollars and 50 cents at preliminary events to five thousand yuan or more than 640 dollars for the opening ceremony. To see about acquiring tickets, log on to www.tickets.beijing.2008.cn.
Microsoft announced today that it secured Quest Software as its first protocol technology program licensee. This program comes out of the March 2004 European Commission order forcing Microsoft to license its protocol technology at “reasonable and nondiscriminatory” terms. The program intended providing all licensees with the power to produce server-based products to perform with Microsoft’s technology.
The Commission warned Microsoft about penalties just last week that the company’s license prices seemed too high. Quest has access through Microsoft’s Work Group Server Protocol Program to communication protocols in the Windows operating systems. Quest plans on developing software to expand the customers’ ability to integrate Unix, Linux and Java authentication systems with Microsoft’s Active Directory. The Department of Justice expressed concerns that Microsoft has fallen behind on deadlines to revise the documentation to licensees.
Ad Age and Vizu Answers performed a study on blog readership. The study showed that two-thirds of blog readers read more than three blogs daily. Most readers re-visit the same sites to get their information. About 67 percent of users follow links to learn about new blogs. About 23 percent of readers rely on recommendations, rather than just using as search engine.
Readers determine the credibility of blogs based on the “quality of writing.” Viewers think personal opinions separate blogs from other forms of online media. The survey showed 65 percent of blog readers search for entertainment. Nearly one-third looks for information. Around one-eighth of readers relate blogging to business. Three-fourths of those who interact regard themselves as primary readers. Around 20 percent of readers claim to create content.
