Microsoft Uses DDR Dance Pad To Stamp Spam 142
writertype writes "Apparently Microsoft researchers are also DDR enthusiasts, for their StepUI research project uses a dance pad to stamp out spam from email, scroll through photographs or perform other functions. 'People really like stomping with two feet to delete spam,' said Kevin Schofield, general manager of strategy and communications at Microsoft Research." Given my inbox, I'd be ready for the '08 Olympics. If only they would make Spam Stamping a sport.
Spam Spam Revolution (Score:2, Insightful)
As stupid as this whole idea is, it would probably be a lot healthier if people actually had to get up off their duffs to check their email. (StepUI also could end up appealing to another group: Couch potatoes looking for a way to lose some weight while still surfing the Internet) But in all honesty, even though there will be a whole following of DDR nerds who would swear by this, I think it will end up about as popular as a Dvorak keyboard.
Now if they ever fin
Re:Spam Spam Revolution (Score:2)
Speaking of content thieves and spammers...
Re:Spam Spam Revolution (Score:1)
Re:Spam Spam Revolution (Score:1)
Also iamchris4life [filefront.com] is every bit as good at arrow stompy games as Kevbo (can't find a single video site for him) is.
Re:Spam Spam Revolution (Score:1)
In all seriousness I am a DDR player and I think this is stupid and I would bet the rest of the DDR crowd would agree.
Re:Spam Spam Revolution (Score:2)
;)
Re:Spam Spam Revolution (Score:2)
Now, a slashdot poster says that he's not as geeky as -- those DDR people -- who are almost as bad as those geeks who use dvorak keyboards.
I suddenly realize my chances to ever get a girlfriend are actually negative.
Actually, negative probabilities doesn't even make sense. As a nerd, I should know that. My probability to have a girlfriend is certainly positive, but it has an imaginary component to it. How complex!
Re:Spam Spam Revolution (Score:1)
Re:Spam Spam Revolution (Score:2)
How about a surfboard?
Dangerously Stupid Idea (Score:2, Funny)
From TFA:
After a thousand or so spams, this 'stomping with two feet' business is going to get mighty old.
Also, when (it's only a matter of time) one of those couch potatoes suffers a coronary after attempting to delete endless floods of spam by 'stomping with two fee
No, it absolutely is not. (Score:2)
All that you'd need are volunteers inside the company who need a stress reliever. Not only would they be able to work out their frustrations in a physical manner, it would also be good physchological help. Pent up frustrations have been proven to have negative, physical reactions, so this could be a great way for employees to work it off.
Frustrated by your manager's micromanging? Dance it off (and help to get rid of spam).
Frustrated by your spouse or family members to the point that
Re:No, it absolutely is not. (Score:1)
Frustrated by your next-door-cubicle-neighbor's incessant dancing?
Pent up frustrations, indeed.
Re:No, it absolutely is not. (Score:2)
Where is it written that there can't be a special area put aside somewhere for people to go to do this? Companies that have on-site gyms put them in their own room. So, I would expect any company that does a DDR-stress-reliever to do the same thing.
Re:No, it absolutely is not. (Score:2)
I just don't see how combining the two adds anything to either activity.
Re:No, it absolutely is not. (Score:2)
Whenever you can do two different tasks at once, without losing significantly on either one, you gain value in terms of time saved.
Re:Dangerously Stupid Idea (Score:2)
That's a bad thing? (Score:2)
Oh yeah, I suppose that wouldn't work for me. I don't get spam. Ah well, back to reading only things I care about in my inboxes.
Now if you had to input some DDR code to *send* spam, I'd love this. Nothing would entertain me more than blocking out spam because the o
Re:Dangerously Stupid Idea (Score:2)
Oh, really? And what if the people in the study start to see that they're getting healthier because of it?
"Hey, honey, you're looking more toned than before."
"I've been getting exercise stomping out spam."
"Really? Well
The next day...
"Hey, Jack! What's with the huge smile? And are you slightly hunched over?"
"Nevermind! Where's the spam? I need to stomp
Re:Dangerously Stupid Idea (Score:2)
People might appreciate it differently than we think. So, it's very possible that it won't be appreciated as briefly as we might.
And
In other news... (Score:1)
Re:In other news... (Score:2)
I wonder... (Score:1)
Re:I wonder... (Score:2)
Re:I wonder... (Score:2)
I see no reason why a dance pad couldn't be used with WoW (or other PC games) by using any of the converters available.
You'd only need to configure WoW in a sensible way.
You can buy a PS2 dance pad for $10 and and a PS2-USB converter for $7, so it isn't even that expensive.
Be sure to post a video to
Re:I wonder... (Score:2)
Oh, combine that with flash's webcam ability, and you can maybe do something with your hands too
Re:I wonder... (Score:2)
Yeah, because having one of our healers pass out from exhaustion is just what I want in the middle of trying to down rag.
WOW! (Score:2)
And now if you ducktape Nintendo Revolution controller to a chair... the options are endless!
Re:WOW! (Score:2)
Microsoft needs to continue to copy good ideas instead of coming up with their own.
A better idea -- Bill G voodoo doll! (Score:2)
Problem solved. The Voodoo Doll Interface(tm). You heard it here first.
Re:WOW! (Score:2)
Re:WOW! (Score:2)
I knew something about this article smelled...
When Roxor games wanted to make a DDR knock-off, they went to the linux peopule who helpd develop Stepmania [wikipedia.org]. StepMania is a sourceforge project, and has been the basis for almost all dancing-genre games since the original from Konami. Roxor's game, In the Groove [wikipedia.org] is an excellent example of linux found in most arcades.
Chances are, StepUI borrows more from StepMania than the name. StepMail and StepPhoto are other "innovati
Just what the world needs... (Score:1)
Re:Just what the world needs... (Score:1)
DDR Chorded Keyboard (Score:2)
Although I wouldn't want to write a novel on a DDR pad, it might be a good way to get some exercise during shorter text messaging sessions.
Re:DDR Chorded Keyboard (Score:2)
Re:DDR Chorded Keyboard (Score:1)
Re:DDR Chorded Keyboard (Score:2)
Also as a mediocre DDR player, I think that DDR is way too slow to be used as an input device for text. Consider how fast you can move your fingers and then think if you had to p
Re:DDR Chorded Keyboard (Score:1)
However, your calculation (n^2-n) works if the mat has the ability to detect which foot (left or right) made contact (which may be the case - I don't know) In which case a better formula might be (n^2+n), allowing for a double-foot stomp on a single pad - an
Dumbest ideas of the year contest (Score:1, Insightful)
br> dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb
Re:Dumbest ideas of the year contest (Score:2)
Re:Dumbest ideas of the year contest (Score:2)
Yep, dumb, just like opening tags on html.
SPAM can not die! (Score:1)
What if? (Score:1)
Re:What if? (Score:1)
Then it becomes a dance to the death!
Spam? (Score:2)
I don't get it. Does everyone except me have that big a problem with spam? SpamAssassin deletes 99% of my domain spam and Gmail catches another 95% or so. I only see one spam message every month. Granted, I don't get many (about 20 a day) total, but I don't see any of those, and I would imagine that people that got 100x that would only see about one or two a day.
Does anyone have a huge problem with spam getting through the filters?
Re:Spam? (Score:1)
Now, my Mac back in the room does a nice job of catching all of this ju
Spam problems solved! (Score:2)
Just fill in your e-mail here: ____________________
Don't forget to hyper-link the address!
Re:Spam? (Score:2)
Then there are wierd floods of spam that occur every now and then. Sometimes I'll get like 500 in a few hours, all with almost identical subject lines.
Granted, I have five email
Re:Spam? (Score:2)
Re:Spam? (Score:1)
Turn it into Karaoke Revolution... (Score:2)
Re:Turn it into Karaoke Revolution... (Score:1)
* Not responsible for damage caused. Certain restrictions apply.
2 feet macro for... (Score:1)
My back hurts having to bend over to press the third key with my hand...
Re:2 feet macro for... (Score:1)
I could hit the CTRL and the DEL, but my middle leg isn't long enough to reach the floor.
Re:2 feet macro for... (Score:2)
I see a highly inappropriate anti-microsoft joke somewhere in there.
What they really need... (Score:2)
Deutsche Demokratische Republik (Score:1)
Didn't Microsoft promise us an end to SPAM? (Score:1)
lick it and stick it (Score:1)
Joyboard (Score:2)
Guru Meditation #00000004.0000AAC0
Tiresome (Score:2)
Re:Tiresome (Score:2)
Great (Score:1)
This is a great idea! (Score:2)
Re:This is a great idea! (Score:1)
Probably not now that I said that, so check Fark.com, they are not as picky.
The next great aerobics video... (Score:1)
Do your jumping-jacks/squats with the badgers!
/.ed (Score:1)
Utterly pointless (Score:1)
Keep working hard on letting us play Whack-A-Mole with our feet instead.
Re:Utterly pointless (Score:2)
Darn! (Score:1)
Sarcastic MS ridicule... (Score:2)
Re:Sarcastic MS ridicule... (Score:2)
making photocopies. There is nothing wrong with research for research's sake, be it private or public. See also
serendipity, James Burke, and NASA/DOE/DOD (yeah, like this internet thing you're using).
ITS ON! (Score:1)
Use DDR pad for "single-stepping" the debugger (Score:2)
2. Remap key codes for debugger commands "Step In", "Step Over", "Step Out."
3. Actually step through code...
-Mark
Re:Use DDR pad for "single-stepping" the debugger (Score:2)
2. Remap key codes for debugger commands "Step In", "Step Over", "Step Out."
3. Actually step through code...
This gives a new meaning to "stamping out the bugs".
Personally I would rather see something like a large Wacom tablet that would record movement and output dance notation (labanotation). This would actually be an AI application worth doing.
Injuries (Score:2)
I have a possibly-broken toe right now; if it impaired my ability to work, I'd be even more pissed off at that Brazilian kid who bungled the right downward block than I already am.
Not to mention the fact that I can work in substantially the same way sitting in my recliner at home with my feet up as I can sitting in my crappy desk chair at work; I don't have to learn a completely different set of muscle movements for wor
Re:Injuries (Score:2)
You are whining about a boo-boo you got from trying to kick someone? Grow some balls.
Re:Injuries (Score:2)
I can see why a dork like you would be unable to comprehend a sports injury, but I figured you'd agree with my main point since I'm sure your DDR keypad is worn from constant use.
Re:Injuries (Score:2)
Hmm, I can think of at least one muscle you apparently aren't working out. Try back when you can come up with a retort that does not involve generalizations and namecalling.
Read first, then bad talk microsoft (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Read first, then bad talk microsoft (Score:2)
...well yeah, we'll badmouth them (Score:2)
Great, an interface for the thin (Score:1)
OK, I know that they say it's for those with disabilities, but it came to mind.
I can think of how to make this more fun (Score:2)
Like "concept cars..." (Score:2)
Remember Xerox PARC?
Nice geek barometer that title (Score:1)
The next wave in spam will be... (Score:1)
Filters make you fat (Score:2)
Re:Filters make you fat (Score:2)
So that could be a legitimate argument for a correlation between obesity and effectiveness as a system admin?
I guess that means I could eventually effectively use the term "cheeseburger my way to a bonus" without some lewd connotation* being the first thing on people's minds?
* Potential disgusting takes on that term are left as an exercise to the reader.
Level of difficulty... (Score:1)
Using Hotmail means the same thing as playing a 10-footer on Heavy?
My idea for an excersice machine with incentive... (Score:1)
Only someone that still has a spam problem would dumb enough to but this. I spent 5 minutes setting up Gmail (with no other software) and get no spam, which gives me more time for kickboxing.
Microsoft's Origami Project (Score:2)
I really see people in the streets jumping in order to delete their mail, snapping to open it, touching their finger to their nose to create a new message...
oh and tossing their Microsoft Origami across the room
-M
I had no idea it was real (Score:2)
http://www.ridiculopathy.com/news_detail.php?id=1
Wow! The much vaunted MS Research team.... (Score:2)
Everyone always discusses the amazing stuff that comes out of MS Research. Why am I never, ever impressed?
Perhaps they can design a "reclining throne-type waste receptacle that determines whether to delete or quarantine viruses based upon the volume of flatulence."
MS Research produced vaporware, buzzwords, and toys. No interesting development, no pure-science research.
IBM does loads of hard science.
Apple has mastered product development.
Why does MS, with a far, far larger budget, and arguable
John Titor (Score:2)
Fun with Joy2Mouse (Score:2)
Spam Stamping? (Score:2)
The dumbest research ever... (Score:2)
When will they get it? People are LAZY. They don't want to move their limbs to use software. It's the reason that "PowerGlove" interfaces failed, and it's the same reason this technology won't prevail.
Re:DDR Dance Pad? (Score:2)
Re:DDR Dance Pad? (Score:1)
Get thee to a Dave & Busters!!!