By: Seagrumn Smith Amidst what appears to be a multi-faceted attack by the European Union on Microsoft, the newest angle is the European Commission’s announcement last month that it was considering a formal investigation of Microsoft’s .Net Passport data processing system for possible violations of the European Union Data Privacy Directive. This iBrief explores the European Data Privacy Directive and seeks to explain why the European Commission believes .Net Passport may be in violation of its privacy policies and a case for further investigation. Download Full Article (PDF) Cite: 2002 Duke L. & Tech. Rev. 0014
Month: August 2002
Software Patents: What One-Click Buy and Safe Air Travel Have in Common
By: Michael Guntersdorfer Have you ever sat in an airplane, typing on your laptop, when the darn thing crashes for the one-millionth time? Have you ever then thought about how the airplane you are sitting in is controlled by software, too–the technical term being “fly by wire”–and then started sweating uncontrollably? Software controls not only air traffic but plenty of other safety-critical technologies: the tightrope walk of controlling the chain reaction of radioactive elements in nuclear power plants; the navigation and activation of missiles;3 the moves and cutting-depth of a surgical laser when correcting eye-sights; the list goes on… With such reliance on software, malfunction due to errors in the program code becomes unacceptable. Software patents help heighten the standard by supporting the re-use of the code of established and tested systems. Download Full Article (PDF) Cite: 2002 Duke L. & Tech. Rev. 0013