Microsoft readies Hal 9000 It gives a whole new meaning to the word "micromanager." Judging from a recent patent application, Microsoft hopes to build some sort of "activity monitoring system" that keeps an eye on worker productivity using various "physiological or environmental sensors." These sensors would track everything from heart rate, respiration …
Did anyone else notice that the same argument for biological metrics is used for polygraph machines? There is a reason polygraph tests are not used in U.S. courts for proof of guilt or innocence. Can we expect the same benefit from a company's management when HAL provides a false positive or negative reading?
It will also detect the unhappiness of all users when they use M$ products and pleasure when they finish. Would that be reported?
But as it is an M$ product it won't work, will complain if the user uses a different operating system, wlil be bloated, take up too much CPU to run constantly etc etc. and probably report it all back to redmond via the WGA tool.
Until they roll out Homo Sapien Sapien v1.1.
All this is to do with the simple fact that there is no 'standard' human, no one human will act like another human consistently enough for any current forecast tool to be effective, and these forecast tools are being used to work out how much money a certain thing will make. It's the bottom line, everything else can be calculated to within an inch of it's life, we humans keep on breaking the mould. Just as soon as they get the genetic engineering right, they roll out the upgrade and it will be 'Game Over' folks, at least until the next load of natures children get up to speed ...
Me ? I'll see you all on Europa.
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