Blackboard Lanyards
Interesting snippet on the Internet Time Blog from Jay Cross on 11/30:
"BlackBoard is picking up the tab for an endless flow of wine and hors d’oeuvres for the speakers. The BlackBoard name and logo are all over the lanyards that hold our badges. BlackBoard’s European chief tells me people have totally misinterpreted the lawsuit arising from their patent. He says it doesn’t cover the LMS. It’s very specific. I suggested BlackBoard hire a Robert Scoble because the word in the blogosphere is that BlackBoard is unreasonably and unethically taking advantage of the broken U.S. patent system. Some participants refuse to wear the BlackBoard lanyard in protest."
Blackboard officials seem to have only one retort: "People don't understand us or our patent!!"
If "a" Scoble was "hired" to improve their blogoshphere P.R., that would clearly backfire just like the rest of this has exploded in their (BB) faces. Jay was probably just making a point that shouldn't be taken literally.
I wonder if we can get Blackboard to supply the lanyards (as well as the hors d'oerves and beverages) for the D2L User Conference (podcast) to be hosted by Lake Superior College and UWS in Duluth, MN during July 2007. Now that would be a hoot.
"BlackBoard is picking up the tab for an endless flow of wine and hors d’oeuvres for the speakers. The BlackBoard name and logo are all over the lanyards that hold our badges. BlackBoard’s European chief tells me people have totally misinterpreted the lawsuit arising from their patent. He says it doesn’t cover the LMS. It’s very specific. I suggested BlackBoard hire a Robert Scoble because the word in the blogosphere is that BlackBoard is unreasonably and unethically taking advantage of the broken U.S. patent system. Some participants refuse to wear the BlackBoard lanyard in protest."
Blackboard officials seem to have only one retort: "People don't understand us or our patent!!"
If "a" Scoble was "hired" to improve their blogoshphere P.R., that would clearly backfire just like the rest of this has exploded in their (BB) faces. Jay was probably just making a point that shouldn't be taken literally.
I wonder if we can get Blackboard to supply the lanyards (as well as the hors d'oerves and beverages) for the D2L User Conference (podcast) to be hosted by Lake Superior College and UWS in Duluth, MN during July 2007. Now that would be a hoot.
Comments
I've shared your info with the LiveJournal world.
http://rhenders.livejournal.com/5998.html
-Rick Henderson
For instance, they could explain how D2L violates their patent while other LMSs (Moodle, Sakai) don't (if that is the case), provide an example of an LMS that doesn't violate their patent(since they are so fond of saying that it doesn't cover all LMSs), etc.
Since it seems like none of the very smart people who have tried to understand how their patent doesn't doesn't cover every conceivable 'LMS' see it the same way BB does, one begins to wonder if the failure to understand the patent is on the patent holder's end...