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Does anyone else think a startup could be built around a software platform that universities could use for releasing their content to the world?

See here: http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-platform-that-universit...

If anyone wants to work on this, contact me :)




Unfortunately, Blackboards' patents preclude this from becoming a reality. For the next 15 years, Blackboard has an exclusive right to practice this "virtual classroom" business method.[1]

Their patent pledge[2] promises that they will not assert their rights against any open-source or home-grown initiative, which is why Stanford et al. are able to get away with hosting their own content in this format.

It's a harsh reality that by itself makes the case for patent reform.

[1]: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sec...

[2]: http://www.blackboard.com/about-bb/patents/patent-pledge.asp...


You mean they can just sit on the general idea of virtual classrooms? What a bunch of dicks!


Welcome to why patents suck.


You should contact Thrun and Norvig who are running ai-class, they've started http://www.knowit.com/


Yeah but I would have to convince them that they need some random dude in Sweden :)




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