[simonh]

I think a good example might be PageRank. There were loads of engineers and researchers at multiple companies working day and night on search engine technology at the time, and it wasn't obvious to any of them. Basically it seems to have occurred to two people in 1996, Sergey Brin and Robin Li (who went on to found Baidu).

[clusterfish]

Although PageRank isn't obvious, it was inevitable. Without taking away from its usefulness, it's the kind of thing that would have been invented very soon anyway. It was basically invented as soon as the internet had enough information to make such approach superior.

Such innovation does not need the protection of the patent system any more than the obvious inventions do, it happens on its own.

[intrasight]

I do like the "inevitable" test. It ties in with my belief that there are many "inventions" that are universal amongst sentient beings.

[lincolnq]

Off topic, but I am very interested in the topic of what other inventions are universal (I've thought about this myself a bit). Do you have a list or writeup?

[intrasight]

I've not maintained a list over the years. But some that I can name off the top of my head are: Wheel Battery Electric motor Glass LED Laser Book Lens Ballpoint pen Mirror

- you get the idea

[simonh]

My dad claims to have “invented” the brushless electric motor as a physics student, only to discover it had been invented many dozens of times already.

[DaiPlusPlus]

Mathematics

[simonh]

I think I agree, the PageRank parent and software patents in general are not genuinely in the public interest. I just think it’s one of the strongest examples that might pass any patentability test. That doesn’t mean the patent is a good thing.