[Robotgroup] Micro$oft Robotics

[Gray Mack]

A rant, yes, but some good points.

Robotics is a field like LED technology was a few
years ago, still ripe for patent artists to stifle
innovation.

Using a commercial tool can give you a powerful head
start but it can also end up costing you in the end.
For a one up personal device you may be able to take
advantage of the free offerings of lots of hard work.
If you intend on marketing your product, think
carefully about licensing tradeoffs.

Also ask: 
Is it affordably scaleable? / Is it overly complex for
your needs (whats the max % of its functionality you
will actually use)
Is the learning curve easier than scratch building it.
Can you leverage a products commonality and
familiarity?

The Microsoft robotics stuff did sound interesting at
a glance. Last I checked there were some issues with
the boebot interface on the forums. I would like to
see a demo/presentation at TRG about this technology
if someone is willing to study it. 

And some of the competition may even need a little M$
pounding! Some of you have read my previous rants here
and on the wiki about the intelitek easyC for the VEX
robotics kit....

-Gray
 
--- Vern Graner <vern at txis.com> wrote:

> vkonradi wrote:
> > I'm so glad to see Microsoft _finally_ apply their
> charitable bent to the cause.  Now things are really
> going to happen!
> 
> <rant>
> Yup. Now robotics can benefit the same way the other
> markets have by 
> Microsoft being involved. Things like:
> 
> Driving competitors out of the market (think Word
> Perfect, Netscape, Novell)
> 
> Stealing ideas or sabotaging others in the space
> (think Stacker/ DR-DOS)
> 
> Using their monopoly-made mega-dollars to patent
> *everything* so you 
> can't make a product without stepping on a patent
> "land mine"
> 
> Hiding critical source code as "trade secrets" so no
> one can make 
> compatible or work-alike software.
> 
> Draconian EULA's that strip away your rights i.e.
> "You can run THE 
> PRODUCT on ONE robot in your swarm, each additional
> robot requires an 
> additional license, if the robot speaks, you must
> purchase a separate 
> text to speech license for each robot in the swarm.
> If your robot 
> becomes damaged you cannot transfer this OEM edition
> software to another 
> robot." etc. etc.
> 
> Your robot won't boot till it passes Windows Genuine
> Robot Advantage 
> Activation (I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do
> that!")
> 
> Giant, buggy, bloated, slow software prone to STOP:
> Your robot has 
> performed an illegal operation in module "walk.exe"
> and will be shut down.
> 
> Weekly fixes and "upgrades" that won't apply if the
> W.G.R.A. *thinks* 
> your robot isn't "genuine" (I'm sorry Dave, I'm
> afraid I *still* can't 
> do that, you filthy pirate!")
> 
> FUDing of Linux and/or open source alternatives (you
> can't trust 
> something as dangerous as a robot to a hodge podge
> of code from hippies! 
> You need a professional M$ product!)
> 
> A EULA that will let them off scot-free if their
> "professional" product 
> damages anything or anyone. ("I'm sorry Dave, I know
> I killed people but 
> my EULA says all I owe you is a refund of my
> purchase price")
> 
> Suing people into oblivion via the The Software
> Gestapo aka "The 
> Business Software Alliance"
> 
> EULA terms that require you to submit any benchmarks
> or reviews to them 
> for approval before they are published.
> 
> Security holes big enough to drive ED-209 through
> (hope your robot isn't 
> armed!)
> 
> Yeah it's gunna be great, can't wait. :P
> </rant>
> 
> :)
> 
> Vern
> 
> -- 
> Vern Graner CNE/CNA/SSE    | "If the network is
> down, then you're
> Senior Systems Engineer    | obviously incompetent
> so why are we
> Texas Information Services | paying you? Of course,
> if the network
> http://www.txis.com        | is up, then we
> obviously don't need
> Austin Office 512 328-8947 | you, so why are we
> paying you?" ©VLG
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