Re: [dvd-discuss] Some opinions on the appellate court's decision(longish)

[Scott A Crosby <crosby(at)qwes.math.cmu.edu>]

> > On Thu, 29 Nov 2001, Claus Fischer wrote:
>
> > > As opposed to other forms of instruction, like recipes and
> > > blueprints, where the functional aspect is not so immediate.
> > >

Actually, its hard to find something that doesn' have functional aspects.

The purpose of modern manufacturing is to turn anything into 'one click'.
At one time, it took minutes to maually drill one hole. Then came power
tools that did it automatically, now with computer-aided-manufacturing,
hundreds can be made in 'one click.

Given this, its possible for almost any speech to be functional..

Blueprints for objects are functional, because of the existance of those
3d rapid prototoyping machines that can build them in practice.

There are also CAM machines that can build almost any part/piece in metal.
I saw one where you put a solid chunk of titanium into it, click a button,
and 4 days later comes an impeller for the space shuttle fuel pump.

Embroidary patterns are functional; There exist machines that will
automatically embroider any pattern into fabric. (The ones I saw are used
by coffin manufactures.) 'one click' infringement.

Any line-drawing or other image is functional, engraving machines can
automatically 'one click' engrave them into metal.

Flag designs are either functional already, or could be made functional.
I'm not sure if such a machine has been built yet, but, it would not be
difficult to manufacture a machine that 'in one click' turned flag designs
into flags flapping in the breeze.

Musical scores are functional, or will soon be; when will technology be
able to handle sheet music; put the music into the scanner, it reads the
score and turns it into MIDI, then plays it in 'one click'? I'd not be
surprised if there's already sotware to handle simple scores or maybe
Piano, but how soon till there's one that can handle conductor-level
scores?

And, given the way that modern manufacturing is going, I'm probably
missing dozens of other examples, and in 20 years, there will be even more
examples of 'functional speech'.

Scott


PS: The Touretsky versus Shamos debate at CMU is starting *right now*.
          http://calendar.cs.cmu.edu/scsEvents/demo/554.html