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Author Archive: bfwebster

Webster is Principal and Founder at at Bruce F. Webster & Associates, as well as an Adjunct Professor for the BYU Computer Science Department. He works with organizations to help them with troubled or failed information technology (IT) projects. He has also worked in several dozen legal cases as a consultant and as a testifying expert, both in the United States and Japan. He can be reached at 303.502.4141 or at bwebster@bfwa.com.

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The Sessions paper — an analytical critique

December 28, 2009 1 Comment
The Sessions paper — an analytical critique

[cross-posted from brucefwebster.com] Roger Sessions has published a white paper, “The IT Complexity Crisis: Danger and Opportunity” (PDF). It’s created a bit of a stir in tech circles, largely because Sessions estimates that “worldwide, we are already losing over USD 500 billion per month on IT failure, and the problem is getting worse” (page 1; […]

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US District Court Judge Throws Out Software Patent, Citing Bilski

July 9, 2009 0 Comments
US District Court Judge Throws Out Software Patent, Citing <i>Bilski</i>

US District Court Judge Andrew Gilford (Central District of California) granted a summary judgment motion (PDF, 47KB) in DealerTrack v. Huber et al., finding DealerTrack’s patent (US 7,181,427) — for an automated credit application processing system — invalid due to the recent In re Bilski court decision that requires a patent to either involve “transformation” […]

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In re Bilski goes to the Supreme Court

June 1, 2009 1 Comment
<i>In re Bilski</i> goes to the Supreme Court

Just got word today that the US Supreme Court has granted certiorari to the In re Bilski matter regarding business software and process patents. Given the potential implications for new and existing patents, it should be interesting to see how the Supremes rule on this one.  ..bruce..

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Fireflies, conveyor belts, and landfill

March 4, 2009 0 Comments
Fireflies, conveyor belts, and landfill

My newest Baseline column is up, and in it, I talk about technology lifecycles that can cause you grief: Each technology is on its own product lifecycle, which may or may not match with your organization’s business and development lifecycles. In particular, there are certain cycle mismatch patterns that commonly occur in organizations looking to […]

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In re Bilski appealed to the Supreme Court

January 29, 2009 0 Comments
<i>In re Bilski</i> appealed to the Supreme Court

The US Federal Court of Appeals ruling upholding the lower court decision for In re Bilski has now been appealed to the US Supreme Court: Not since 1981 has the Supreme Court undertaken to spell out the kinds of inventions that are eligible for patent rights — the exclusive rights to produce or use an invented […]

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