[DarMontou]

Agreed. I'm not sure where the AP got their last statement either...

"Tech companies say software patents have played a critical role in keeping the U.S. at the cutting edge by giving people control over their inventions for nearly 20 years."

[DanAndersen]

I imagine it's true in the sense that they were able to find at least two companies somehow related to technology that would say such a thing.