IBM patents way to make digitally stored data degrade : Othor Games

» Sun Nov 27, 2011 8:45 am

Even though it wouldn't fulfill the intended behavior that doesn't mean someone isn't already contemplating the misuse of this coding that's all i'm saying.

Chances are your average user is going to keep using NTFS/ext4/FAT32/whatever, and only people who have a use for this file system will adopt it. I don't really see a problem with that.

» Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:34 am

Even though it wouldn't fulfill the intended behavior that doesn't mean someone isn't already contemplating the misuse of this coding that's all i'm saying.

There's no real way to get the method described to work for any arbitrary file, as a file by itself has no characteristics (this is why DRM was created, to put restrictions on files), so what you are saying really can't be done from this patent and using forms of DRM to limit file use already exist so I really don't see what you are getting at :confused: It's not a program, it's a file system.

» Sun Nov 27, 2011 9:25 am

What works for you doesn't necessarily fit in my model, and likewise the aging length for you probably isn't mine. Hence the need to be able to change it. If it wasn't changable, it'd be useless. But that change is done by the implementor, not by happenchance. Federal regulations make it hard to just scrap a document, many companies keep documents for decade+ out of fear of throwing away something and having an audit. Having visual cues to whether that information is actually useful to the company would be incredibly useful. If you can't see that, you've never had to deal with archived files.

Totally illogical - someone still has to MAKE A DECISION at some point in time: how fast to degrade the data (and it IS degrading the data!) at the very least, and when the data is "aged" beyond use

As someone whose documents are viewed by many, having dates is something constantly overlooked, wrong documents get printed out all the time, and problems ensue. Visual cues would be a killer feature. As mentioned above, removing documents is not a simple process and visual cues to the validity of a document is much preferred.

The file system should automatically have the origination date (at least on that file system)

You are taking degradation far too literal. The content doesn't get harmed (hence my emphasis on it remains usable and legible). The aging isn't to decide whether you need to keep it, but for end users to be able to tell if it is valid information or not (hence my whole thing about time t for valid information to the company, but time n for necessary document retention due to federal regulations)

If the data is changed, then IT IS DEGRADED i.e., DAMAGED (and btw, not valid data)

And as I've mentioned as well: If you don't like this feature, just don't use a file system that implements it. It's impossible for this to be used as a form of DRM because it is an aspect of the file system, not the files and simply storing your files with a file system that doesn't implement it would make it a non-issue. It's literally impossible to abuse this.

you mean DO NOT USE THE "CLOUD" to store the data

» Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:32 am

Totally illogical - someone still has to MAKE A DECISION at some point in time: how fast to degrade the data (and it IS degrading the data!) at the very least, and when the data is "aged" beyond use

Someone does, you are correct. It is set-and-forget. That's the whole purpose of the system described in the patent. Nothing in the patent decribes a situation where data actually becomes unusable, just making the age of the document become apparent through visual cues. You are making assumptions not based on the statements of the patent.

The file system should automatically have the origination date (at least on that file system)

It does, but such dates are completely useless to end-users who may be pulling up documents. They won't know whether they are valid unless they are told, which is where the visual cues come in. It is an obvious manner that even the biggest Luddite would be able to discern. (do you understand the concept of end users?)

If the data is changed, then IT IS DEGRADED i.e., DAMAGED (and btw, not valid data)

It's aged, not damaged. Paper ages while remaining valid. These documents are for federal retention regulatory policies.

BTW: digitizing documents at 200 dpi degrades the document, faxing a document degrades a document, yet these are still valid. I'm sorry, but you have no idea what you are talking about if you think aging or degrading a document makes it invalid. And for the millionth time: nothing in the patent describes documents becoming unusable by aging.

you mean DO NOT USE THE "CLOUD" to store the data

Nothing in my statement even mentioned the cloud :confused:

If you're using the cloud you don't have your document anyway and have gien up all control