Customer Reviews (1)

Not happy
over 60% of the book was written in. I wanted the book for one of my kids.... So much for that. ... Read more

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Collins New Primary Maths Software 6+ is a fuss-free, easy-to-use software package to help you engage and stretch your more able pupils./ Ready-to-teach slides for every single Collins New Primary Maths lesson help extend and stretch your more able children to National Curriculum level 5 and beyond /30 interactive maths tools including a fraction tool, place value cards, pictograms, clocks and function machines. The tools are organised by strand, can be customised with your own data and allow you to demonstrate key concepts such as capacity and symmetry with engaging graphics/ Ideal for use with the whole class or small groups./ PC only. Suitable for RM CC3 Minimum specification: Systems Requirements PC (standalone/server installation) Pentium IV processor 2.8GHz or higher Windows 2000 or above Thousands of colours (16 bit) 512 MB RAM Internet Browser (Explorer 6 or higher, Firefox 2.0 or higher) Flash Player version 8 ... Read more

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The field of software is awash in disputes.Market participants and analysts routinely disagree on how computer programs should be produced, marketed, regulated, and sold.On one subject, however, just about everyone can agree:the current intellectual property protection regime for software is a mess.At present, all of the traditional means of delimiting intellectual property--patents, copyrights, and trade secrets--are applied to software in one manner or another.Congress has even invented a new type of law for cases in which these may be insufficient, with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

The result is widespread confusion, along with the proliferation of nuisance suits.To date, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted more than 170,000 software patents, some on applications as commonplace as the pop-up window.Each of these patents gives the holder the right to sue others where no such right existed before, and so gaming of the system abounds.Software providers are forced to funnel millions of dollars annually into defending themselves against lawsuits rather than developing better software.The wave of litigation may end up stifling innovation and hobbling the open source movement, one of the most promising developments of recent years.

How did the situation arise?And where should we go from here?In Math You Can’t Use, Ben Klemens draws on his experience as both a programmer and an economist to tackle these critical issues.The answer to the first question, he explains, is simple:while patent laws are intended to apply to physical machines, software is something quite different.Software is not just another machine, and it is not Hamlet with numbers.It is a functional hybrid that can be duplicated at no cost, it is legible by computers in some forms and by humans in others, and it has a unique mathematical structure.All of these facts have to be taken into consideration in designing an appropriate intellectual property regime.

Designing such a system is a more difficult task. Klemens considers several alternatives, from modifying the existing rules to eliminating software patents in favor of a copyright-centered regime.Ultimately, he concludes, it is up to Congress to determine how software should be protected. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent Analysis
Klemens provides an in-depth analysis of software patents and how they should be controlled, regulated and potentially discarded. Populated with engaging practical examples, this book should be read by anybody involved in software development, and in teaching future software developers.

An economist's flawed appeal to theoretical computer science concepts
Ben Klemens finds fault with the Federal Circuit's departure from longstanding doctrine that has regarded mathematical formulas as "abstract ideas" to be excluded from patentable subject matter. The central thesis of Klemens's book is that a claim to a programmed computer should be unpatentable whenever the program is the only innovative element, because every computer program is "nothing but a mathematical equation." Klemens, an economist by training, attempts to support this characterization by loosely paraphrasing a classical result in theoretical computer science, the Church-Turing Thesis,and stating -- without proof -- sweeping and conclusory propositions that supposedly follow as corollaries from Alonzo Church's and Alan Turing's intricate mathematical theories of recursive functions. The ultimate effect, if not the purpose, of Klemens's uninformed appeal to deep theory is to dazzle the "non-geeks"rather than to prove any point.The Church-Turing Thesis actually applies to relatively few software-related inventions and does not actually speak to Klemens's proposed doctrinal reforms.

Why modern intellectual property rights are in a big mess - and how to fix the problem
MATH YOU CAN'T USE: PATENTS, COPYRIGHT, AND SOFTWARE uses the author's experience as a programmer and an economist to describe why modern intellectual property rights are in a big mess - and how to fix the problem. MATH YOU CAN'T USE could also have been featured in our computer section, but is highlighted here for its wider-ranging interest to any college-level collection containing not only legal and computer books, but holdings considering intellectual property rights, issues, and development protection.

Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch

Book Review
MATH YOU CAN'T USE
by Ben Klemens
pp. 181, Brookings Institution Press, Washington D.C., 2005


It is the ideas of inventors that drive the continuous technological progress in our societies. It then becomes important to ask if these inventors are getting the right incentives to innovate. What rights should an inventor be allowed to have over his invention/idea? Is his idea his alone? or is the idea anyone's who understands it? What does it mean to own an idea? The question of whether the "fugitive fermentation of an individual brain*" is a public good or the justifiably exclusive property of the individual brain is clearly an urgent one given the value we place on technological progress.

The subtleties of what constitutes an intellectual's excludable property and what constitutes the general public's property are usually outside the grasp of the general non-specialist crowd. Even amongst specialists (economists, computer people and so on) the discussions on the subject remain constrained by disciplinary boundaries and jargon in the blind men and elephant sort of way. Economists shy away from conversations with computer scientists who generously return the favour. Stated differently, the problem is that few economists write video games and even fewer video game writers would like to be spotted reading economics texts. This is a pity because if economists and software writers could talk to each other what else but the market for intellectual property in computer software would they talk about? The good news is that Klemens is at least, an economist and as he points out several times, he did write a video game.

To adequately understand the dynamics of the regulation of the market for software innovation, one needs to be a jack of several trades like, economics, computer science, law and even mathematics. In 'Math You Can't Use' Klemens brings this scarce combination of skills to bear upon this debate. His training as an economist as well as his facility with the arcane world of software programming puts him at a unique vantage point to survey the world of software patents. Add to this a knack for gentle humor and brevity of language and what you get is an immensely readable book that lays bare the economics, the math, the code and the legalese that underlie the mess that the world of patenting intellectual property in the software market involves.

Judging the book by its cover I expected the book to be a collection of mathematical theorems based on some abstract models of the software patenting business. I assumed that the theorems represented math I could not use simply because it was based on models that relied on unrealistic assumptions. Hence I expected the book to be the author's labor of love to mathematical reasoning that was in the end quite use-less for solving real world problems.

I was way off the mark there. The book's central claim is that there is a lot of math out there (theorems, lemmas, propositions, algorithms and so on) that you can't use because someone else came up with that math before you and now insists that the said math is his and his alone to cherish, protect and profit from. The main theorem that drives the ideas in this book is the Church Turing Thesis which allows us to show that a lot of software code is actually just a bunch of mathematical statements. Klemens creatively uses this thesis to argue his main points in the book.

'Math You Can't Use' actually reads like a generously embellished academic article which is a good thing as far as the pace at which ideas are presented in the book is concerned. For people interested in the area of software patents, this book will serve as a self-contained, down and dirty introduction to this area. From how computers work (for instance, how does a keystroke translate to text on the screen) to reporting rigorous economic theory, Klemens does an elegant job of walking the tightrope between academic rigour and readability. This book will be useful to students of the economics of innovation, computer scientists who read and policy makers.

(C)2005 ViSa

a book you can use...
Klemens has a knack for bringing humour and spirit to a subject most people might be inclined to regard as dull (i.e., software patent policy) - as well as explaining why addressing that subject is crucial.His background as a trained economist and practicing computer programmer gives him inside understanding of both the theoretical policy debate as well as its practical impact on the work of coding.The book is an invaluable resource - and you'll love the banana protective device diagram. ... Read more

Product Description

This software and workbook combo teaches and reinforces the math concepts that third graders need to practice the most. The workbook offers interesting activities and colorful illustrations as it introduces addition, subtraction, rounding, place value, multiplication, division, and more. The software enhances the workbook experience by adding audio guidance, instant grading, progress tracking, and ample positive reinforcement. The program randomizes problems with each use, providing endless activities. Plus, engaging games offer an important break between exercises. Colorful graphics, silly sound effects, and funny animations make learning fun. Together, the CD-ROM and workbook provide two great ways to learn!

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StudentWorks^TM Plus provides the complete student edition, student worksheets, personal tutors, concepts in motion, audio, and virtual manipulatives all in one location. ... Read more

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Collins New Primary Maths Software 4 is easy to use. It provides a rich bank of resources to support teaching and learning, helping you to deliver a stimulating maths experience.Software 4 contains:/ 30 interactive maths tools including a fraction tool, place value cards, pictograms, clocks and function machines.The tools are organised by strand, can be customised with your own data and allow you to demonstrate key concepts such as capacity and symmetry with engaging graphics./ A set of whole-class teaching slides for every single Collins New Primary Maths lesson plan. In these slides you will find all of the example text, calculations, images and preset interactive tools referred to in your Collins New Primary Maths Teacher's Guide. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), published by T.H.E. Journal, LLC on April 1, 2001. The length of the article is 1983 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: Packages and services for teaching mathematics are reviewed. Educational Insights' Geosafari Knowledge Pad - The Math Series offers a Beginning Math course with 48 learning games focusing on a variety of basic skills. Prentice Hall's Interactive Math offers instruction based on the way individual students want to learn. Aleks is a Web-based solution for K-12 math delivering precise diagnostic assessments and delivering students to customized study material while reviewing their progress. Boxer Learning's BoxerMath presents a core algebra curriculum for teachers and learning tools for students and parents. The company has also launched its Boxermath.com Gymnasium Web site. Wolfram Research's Mathematica for Students 4.1 is an educational version of a well-known and powerful package used by technical professionals and is intended for students in accelerated math studies. Carnegie Learning's Cognitive Tutor software package follows students step-by-step through problem resolution.

Citation Details
Title: software FOCUS ON MATH.(Software Review)(Evaluation)
Author: Sabrina Tillman
Publication: T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2001
Publisher: T.H.E. Journal, LLC
Volume: 28Issue: 9Page: 48

Article Type: Evaluation, Product/Service Evaluation

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This digital document is an article from T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), published by T.H.E. Journal, LLC on March 1, 1998. The length of the article is 1718 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: This Software section includes 10 computing programs focusing on math, statistics and data analysis and one astronomy package. Outstanding among them is Macsyma 2.2 from Macsyma Inc. The package contains powerful math software that is used frequently in the engineering and medical fields. One great feature is that the program is capable of answering plain-English questions. The BioBench from National Instruments can automatically configure and acquire data from various physiological instruments and sensors for data analysis. SPSS' SigmaPlot 4.0 is a highly technical graphing program that offers a new Regression Wizard that allows freedom and flexibility to fit almost any equations, automatically determine parameters, and adding results to new graphs. Mathematica 3.0.1 from Wolfram Research is significantly enhanced. Finally, the Scientific Astronomer from Wolfram Research is a regular astronomical software with a twist. It tells the user when and where a specific heavenly object is in the optimal viewing range.

Citation Details
Title: Focus on math, statistics and data analysis.(10 computer programs) (Software)(Product Announcement)
Author: William Willis
Publication: T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 1998
Publisher: T.H.E. Journal, LLC
Volume: v25Issue: n8Page: p27(3)

Article Type: Product Announcement

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This digital document is an article from T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), published by T.H.E. Journal, LLC on June 1, 2000. The length of the article is 568 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Endmark's: MindTwister Math.(Software Review)(Evaluation)
Author: Stefani Hite
Publication: T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) (Refereed)
Date: June 1, 2000
Publisher: T.H.E. Journal, LLC
Volume: 27Issue: 11Page: 82

Article Type: Evaluation, Product/Service Evaluation

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Product Description
Collins New Primary Maths Software is easy to use. It provides a bank of images to support problem solving, reasoning and Numeracy skills, helping you to create visually stimulating activities.Software F contains:/ 30 interactive maths tools including a fraction tool, place value cards, pictograms, clocks and function machines.The tools are organised by strand, can be customised with your own data and allow you to demonstrate key concepts such as capacity and symmetry with engaging graphics./ A set of whole-class teaching slides for every single Collins New Primary Maths lesson plan.In these slides you will find all of the example text, calculations, images and preset interactive tools referred to in your Collins New Primary Maths Teacher's Guide. ... Read more

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User's Guide includes sections on: ? Installation and Start-Up ? Creating and Modifying Tests ? Using the Question Editor ? Graphics Files ? Includes OVER 15 sample tests in full-size layout ... Read more

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Collins New Primary Maths Software 2 is easy to use. It provides a rich bank of resources to support teaching and learning, helping you to deliver a stimulating maths experience.Software 2 contains:/ 30 interactive maths tools including a fraction tool, place value cards, pictograms, clocks and function machines.The tools are organised by strand, can be customised with your own data and allow you to demonstrate key concepts such as capacity and symmetry with engaging graphics./ A set of whole-class teaching slides for every single Collins New Primary Maths lesson plan. In these slides you will find all of the example text, calculations, images and preset interactive tools referred to in your Collins New Primary Maths Teacher's Guide. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Curriculum Review, published by PaperClip Communications on November 1, 2009. The length of the article is 386 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Math, simplified.(Tools for Schools)(software for math education)
Author: Unavailable
Publication: Curriculum Review (Newsletter)
Date: November 1, 2009
Publisher: PaperClip Communications
Volume: 49Issue: 3Page: 5(1)

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), published by T.H.E. Journal, LLC on January 1, 1993. The length of the article is 776 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: Mary A Otondo Elementary School in Yuma, AZ is a school that makes exemplary use of computer technology. Each classroom is equipped with an Apple Macintosh computer, and there is an emphasis upon self-paced learning modules. In part, this is necessitated by the fact that 120 of the school's 970 students are in the English as a Second Language program; many of these students are the children of migratory workers. Using Turbo Math Facts, an imaginative mathematical software program from Nordic Software Inc, the school reports excellent results in both performance levels and overall self-esteem. This is particularly true of the ESL students, since the program is not a language-based one, but employs the metaphor of racing cars as a means of drawing students into a problem-solving matrix.

Citation Details
Title: SW helps ESL students, increases self-esteem. (Turbo Math Facts software from Nordic Software boosts performance of English as Second Language students at Mary A. Otondo Elementary School in Yuma, AZ) (Applications)
Publication: T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 1993
Publisher: T.H.E. Journal, LLC
Volume: v20Issue: n6Page: p54(2)

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This CD-ROM provides simulations, data analysis techniques, graphical solutions and videos to further enhance delivery of math concepts that respond to the current reform movement in mathematics.Presentation Software for College Mathematics Through Applications brings each chapter problem from the text to life by using video clips and animations.Teachers can take students through two or three simulations that serve to illustrate and extend the concepts of each chapter through active participation. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from GUI Program News, published by Worldwide Videotex on April 1, 2003. The length of the article is 677 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: CALC 3D PRO MAKES ADVANCED MATH EASY.(Greuer Software's Calc 3D Pro for Windows 95/98/Me/NT/XP/2000)(Brief Article)
Publication: GUI Program News (Newsletter)
Date: April 1, 2003
Publisher: Worldwide Videotex
Volume: 14Issue: 4Page: NA

Article Type: Brief Article

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This digital document is an article from T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), published by T.H.E. Journal, LLC on August 1, 1997. The length of the article is 763 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: A buyer's guide of mathematical software applications is presented. For each product listed, the guide provides the manufacturer's name along with brief product descriptions. The guide also features a table of respective manufacturer addresses and telephone numbers.

Citation Details
Title: Focus on math software.(Buyers Guide)
Publication: T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) (Refereed)
Date: August 1, 1997
Publisher: T.H.E. Journal, LLC
Volume: v25Issue: n1Page: p28(1)

Article Type: Buyers Guide

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This digital document is an article from T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), published by T.H.E. Journal, LLC on April 1, 2000. The length of the article is 2949 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: New technologies and products help young learners deal with the sometimes intimidating subjects of math and science. Edmark's MindTwister Math is a curriculum-based review of math concepts for 3rd and 4th graders. Knowledge Adventure's Math Blaster for ages 5 to 7 test student's math skills. Learning Advantage's MathStar offers practice in interactive, motivational math skills for elementary students without the need for a computer. SRA's Total Class Math offers video-enhanced lessons covering a variety of subjects for K-6 classrooms. The Denali Project's Summit Math offers more than 225 activities for grades six and eight.

Citation Details
Title: Software focus on math and science.(Software Review)(Evaluation)
Author: Jim Schneider
Publication: T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2000
Publisher: T.H.E. Journal, LLC
Volume: 27Issue: 9Page: 72

Article Type: Evaluation, Product/Service Evaluation

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This digital document is an article from T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), published by T.H.E. Journal, LLC on May 1, 1999. The length of the article is 2306 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: Multimedia mathematics software is reviewed. Knowledge Adventure's JumpStart Math for Kindergartners offers a fun way to teach math fundamentals. The package covers shape and number recognition, data sorting and analysis, addition and substraction, logic and problem solving, measuring, and sequences and patterns. Houghton Mifflin Interactive's Awesome Animated Monster Maker Math, for grades 1-6, asks students to both create a monster hero and solve a case of a missing "monsterpiece" of art from the Rogues' Gallery. Curriculum Associates' Math FactMaster, also for grades 1-6, takes the form of intelligent flashcards in an easy-to-use program. It lets teachers carefully monitor students' progress in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Other packages are reviewed.

Citation Details
Title: Focus on math.(children's math education software)(Software Review)(Evaluation)
Author: Lily Knowles
Publication: T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) (Refereed)
Date: May 1, 1999
Publisher: T.H.E. Journal, LLC
Volume: 26Issue: 10Page: 24

Article Type: Evaluation, Product/Service Evaluation

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), published by T.H.E. Journal, LLC on April 1, 1993. The length of the article is 734 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: Ralston High School found that Spring Branch Software's MacNumerics-II high school mathematics instruction software was so useful that Spring Branch was hired to do two onsite in-service training sessions to enable teachers to fully understand and use the software's features. MacNumerics-II's 15 main tools provide great depth of study of the entire high school mathematics curriculum. The software is now being used on 60 machines in the school's math labs and on a Macintosh LC in each teacher's classroom. Classes employing MacNumerics-II include algebra I and II, pre-calculus and calculus. Examples of how teachers use the software are briefly discussed. Ralston director of technology Mike Burns, who initially recognized the potential of the software, finds that MacNumerics-II has improved the faculty's teaching of mathematics.

Citation Details
Title: Onsite inservice at Nebraska high school aids teachers' use of comprehensive math software. (Ralston High School successfully uses Spring Branch Software Inc's MacNumerics-II software) (MacAdemic)
Publication: T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 1993
Publisher: T.H.E. Journal, LLC
Volume: v20Issue: n9Page: p57(1)

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