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

Wed Jan 11 11:14:35 EST 2012

According to Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-buzz/post/microsofts-avoid-ghetto-patent-destined-for-failure/2012/01/10/gIQAX3PioP_blog.html

dubbed that by CBS *Seattle*.

http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2012/01/06/microsoft-patents-avoid-ghetto-feature-for-gps-devices/

It doesn't give an author.

On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 11:05 AM, Robert Balliot <rballiot at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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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>> >
>> > Web4Lib Web Site: http://web4lib.org/
>> >
>> > 2012-01-10
>>
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>> 2012-01-10****
>>
>>
>>
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>> 2012-01-11
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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
> *************************************************
>
>

-- 
*******************
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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2012-01-11
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