Off-Topic? Microsoft's New "Avoid Ghetto" App

[Robert Balliot]

Microsft did not name the app "Avoid Ghetto" on the patent application.

On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 10:49 AM, Shannon E. Fox <sfox at austincollege.edu>wrote:

>  Microsoft did not name the app “Avoid Ghetto.” That’s what people
> responding to the app have termed it. But I haven’t located what they plan
> to call it.
> http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2012/01/microsoft_avoid_ghetto_app_windows_phone.html
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> *Shannon *****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* Web technologies in libraries [mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU] *On
> Behalf Of *Robert Balliot
> *Sent:* Tuesday, January 10, 2012 7:09 PM
> *To:* WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> *Subject:* Re: [WEB4LIB] Off-Topic? Microsoft's New "Avoid Ghetto" App****
>
> ** **
>
> Norma / Malakia -****
>
>  ****
>
> I imagine that the MS marketing department calculated that the valuable
> viral leverage they would get by calling the AP  "Avoid Ghetto"  outweighed
> the perceived cost of appearing insensitive.  ****
>
>  ****
>
> As of right now, for the exact phrase "Avoid Ghetto" ****
>
>    - past 24 hours 72,100 results in Google, ****
>    - past week 293,000, ****
>    - past month 456,00****
>
>  So, being nasty sells by creation tension and conversation.****
>
>  ****
>
> It seems that you could generate something similar fairly easily by
> combining GPS with the publicly available FBI-Uniform Crime Reports and
> Census Data.   ****
>
> -- ****
>
> ***********************
>
> Robert L. Balliot****
>
> http://linkedin.com/in/robertballiot****
>
> http://bestofpublib.wordpress.com****
>
> http://www.facebook.com/robert.balliot****
>
> http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm****
>
> ************************************************* ****
>
> ** **
>
> On Tue, Jan 10, 2012 at 7:07 PM, Norma Jean Hewlett <hewlett at usfca.edu>
> wrote:****
>
> I'm afraid this is kind of off topic for Web4Lib. It concerns Internet
> technology, but I don't see any direct relevance to libraries. Except
> perhaps for libraries in one of the areas that are flagged as
> "ghetto."
>
> I'm totally shocked by the "avoid ghetto" description, but quite okay
> with the concept. I've walked and driven through a number of areas
> where I really wished I'd had advance warning about what to expect or
> avoid.
>
> My daughter and I were talking about this yesterday. She pointed out
> that even though she dislikes this use of "ghetto" to mean "unsafe,"
> she had used it recently when describing an area to friends. We also
> wondered whether the neighborhood we live in - a quiet family
> neighborhood on the edge of a rather bad one - might be included in
> the "avoid ghetto" recommendations.
>
> Jean Hewlett
> Librarian, Santa Rosa Campus
> University of San Francisco****
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 10, 2012 at 10:51 AM, Malakia Oglesby
> <moglesby at asburyparklibrary.org> wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> >
> >
> > I don't mean to stir up any more controversy than it's already getting.
> but.
> >
> > have you guys heard about Microsoft's new patent for a GPS app being
> > casually called "Avoid Ghetto"?
> >
> >
> >
> > --SNIP--
> >
> >
> >
> > "A new technology designed to help pedestrians avoid bad neighborhoods
> has
> > plenty of smartphone users up in arms."
> >
> >
> >
> > "And "what if someone using a route from this system does get mugged,
> shot,
> > assaulted, or robbed?" wonders Chris Matyszczyk at CNET. "Would they feel
> > entitled to sue Microsoft because the route was supposed to be
> > 'ghetto-free'?"
> >
> >
> >
> > --SNIP--
> >
> >
> >
> > Here's the link:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> http://theweek.com/article/index/223122/microsofts-avoid-ghetto-app-racist
> >
> >
> >
> > My opinion:  While I understand the need and concern for safety I can't
> help
> > but think there's a better way to approach it.  Also, last I heard
> people do
> > get "mugged, shot, assaulted, or robbed" in areas not labeled "ghetto".
> I'm
> > not certain that I can go so far as to call it racist, but I'm certainly
> > disappointed in Microsoft and the Gates'.
> >
> >
> >
> > Just my two-cents,
> >
> >
> >
> > Malakia
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ______________________________
> >
> > Malakia Oglesby, MIS
> >
> > Asbury Park Public Library
> >
> > 500 First Avenue
> >
> > Asbury Park, NJ  07712
> >
> > Phone: (732) 774-4221
> >
> > Fax: (732) 988-6101
> >
> > Web:  http://www.asburyparklibrary.org
> >
> > Email: moglesby at asburyparklibrary.org
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------
> >
> > “I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.” - Jorge
> > Luis Borges
> >
> >
> >
> > ============================
> >
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> >
> > 2012-01-10
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-- 
*******************
Robert L. Balliot
http://linkedin.com/in/robertballiot
 http://bestofpublib.wordpress.com
http://www.facebook.com/robert.balliot
http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm
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