Microsoft seeks patent for office 'spy' software

[heart]

January 16, 2008

Microsoft seeks patent for office 'spy' software

Microsoft is developing Big Brother-style software capable of remotely monitoring a worker’s productivity, physical wellbeing and competence.

The Times has seen a patent application filed by the company for a computer system that links workers to their computers via wireless sensors that measure their metabolism. The system would allow managers to monitor employees’ performance by measuring their heart rate, body temperature, movement, facial expression and blood pressure. Unions said they fear that employees could be dismissed on the basis of a computer’s assessment of their physiological state...(more at link)

[Uberfuhrer]

I wish Microsoft would just make the Blu-Ray adapter for the Xbox 360, so that we may settle the Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD bullshit and I don't have to pay $400 for a PS3. (Only two major studios left that are exclusive to HD-DVD.)

[Athenian200]

I don't know what to think. It's not as bad as Microsoft monitoring you without you knowing about it, which is wrong... but it still seems to have potential misuses. It might mean that easily or chonically stressed people would be less likely to remain employed than more laid-back people, regardless of how good they were at hiding their stress. Personally, I think that's a little unnerving, but if the workers know they're going to be monitored when they start work, I guess it's fair.

Bad news for strong Judging types and Introverts, though.

[Metamorphosis]

Awesome...hopefully we can start getting chips implanted that just send all of our info without the clumsy monitoring equipment.

vote Ron Paul

[JAVO]

This is going to be fun! I've never had the opportunity to subvert privacy invasions using biofeedback before.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Metamorphosis

vote Ron Paul

Already on it.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by athenian200

I don't know what to think. It's not as bad as Microsoft monitoring you without you knowing about it, which is wrong... but it still seems to have potential misuses. (

How much do you think this data would be worth to, say, insurance companies?

[Jive A Turkey]

When I was a kid I had a sticker that said, "Big Computer is Watching You." I used to laugh and laugh.

Originally Posted by Oberon

How much do you think this data would be worth to, say, insurance companies?

They'd regret it once they upset the coffee industry for discriminating against their performance enhancing clients.

[ptgatsby]

Meh. Tens of thousands of patents get filled and never used. Most of the time they are used as weapons against other companies rather than products. Wake me up when they actually build it.

[Xander]

Great. So after being shown that theory Y tends to work better they're still trying to produce tools for theory X labouring under the false impression that if they have the right tools so the subject forgets that they are constantly being monitored and threatened that they'll reduce the downsides to the theory.

(Should note that this theory X and Y is management theory. X is centred around the idea that every worker is a lazy slob who needs to be kicked twice an hour to do the work and theory Y is more centred on the concept that the worker is a responsible human being and should be treated as such.)

Why can't MS just concentrate on producing decent code instead of constantly devising more useless muck?