A little bit about anything
Education
Facebook Picks on Upstart Social Network
Aug 29th
Facebook Sues Teachbook Over Use of ‘Book’ | News & Opinion | PCMag.com.
I came across this article today that I thought was strange and reeked of intimidation or worry by Facebook.
My big question is “when did the use of the word “book” become a trademark by Facebook? Does that mean we are going have to start calling “Books” by a different name? What are we going to call a notebook? Are Blueline, Mead or Cambridge next up for the courts? I mean, Facebook might think that everyone could start writing status updates in them and mailing them to their friends or leaving them in designated bins for people to pick up and write their status in there.
What about Notebook software? Is Smart Technologies next in line for suing? What about the bluebook and your little blackbook? Where is this going to stop?
Next thing you know, YouTube will start kicking RedTube’s ass and taking TeacherTube to task over their use of the word “Tube” in their names.
NOTE: I didn’t link to Redtube for a reason. The word “Red” is there for a reason so if you want to go visit it you can go there yourself.
Now, I can understand Apple not allowing anyone to use that “i” in front of a product name…that is a little obvious in being an infringement. Same with McDonalds not allowing that “Mc” in front of a product that might get confused with their product. Those are pretty straight forward.
But “book”? I would think that Facebook would take the use of “book” in Teachbook as flattery. Isn’t imitation the best form of flattery? Besides, is anyone really going to get confused between Facebook and Teachbook. Isn’t this the same sort of situation as Youtube and Teachertube?
Get off your high horse Facebook and be happy that what you have created demands to be imitated in a different forum. Spend your time, effort and money in fixing your own product. Stop taking liberties with people’s privacy. Concentrate on your own issues and leave others alone.
No to Macs…The Right Decision
Jan 6th
Since I work in “education” I am always interested to read or receive articles dealing with technology in K-12 education I am always looking to see how others are using technology in their districts, schools or classrooms. Mastermaq sent me this article this morning that made my day.
The Toronto District School Board decided late last year to stop purchasing Mac computers as a cost saving measure. I must say that the TDSB made the right decision no matter that one of their school board trustees has now come out and questioned the decision.
The Yellowknife Education District #1 (YK1) made the same decision 4 years ago and it is a decision that I have to manage and defend on an almost daily basis as the Manager of Information Technology Services. What Lee Stem, the general manager of IT services at TDSB, talks about with cost savings with the current trend of applications moving to the web is right on the mark. Mac computers cost roughly double what an equivalent or even higher level PC costs. Since both platforms can do the same things and with the emergence of web based applications anyway, the hardware is becoming less important every day. Having an internet connection with a computer running a browser is all you need for much of what people need to do.
