[jauntywundrkind]

100%. Absolutely toxic shit that these idiot governments can grant abstract ideas & thought dominion by whatever idiot happened to write a vague patent application first. Another sad sad case where governments are actively de-legitimizing something I believe in: governance.

There needs to be some real gains to roll back how overarchingly absurd software patents have become. You cannot patent thought & abstract ideas. What a horror this has become. But the situation will seemingly only ever en-mire itself, grow worse, create more constriction & difficulty, forever & ever. Thought cannot be patented, but here it is: disgraceful.

[justinclift]

There was a recent HN submission about Vacuum airships: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_airship

    His patent application was eventually denied on the basis that it was "wholly
    theoretical, everything being based upon calculation and nothing upon trial or
    demonstration."

That patent denial was back in 1891. The "Good Old Days" for patents, from a modern tech users point of view. :)