Communities of Practice - The Patent

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Scott Wilson[Edit][Delete]: Communities of Practice - The Patent, December 11, 2006
Yes, you read that correctly. I'm sorry. As Scott Wilson observes, "It essentially patents the idea of doing any kind of community-oriented knowledge management involving filesharing and forums involving one or more experts." How long before this becomes a full-blown crisis, and not the absurd annoyance it is now? Or are we at that point now, with absurdities like the Blackboard patent and lawsuit? See also Harold Jarche, who comments, "I remember a sign that was posted in the Officers' Mess in Wainwright, Alberta. It said, 'Let not common sense become so rare that it is mistaken for genius. More...