Amazon's ludicrous 1-Click patent "confirmed" after a re-examination that lasted 4 fucking years.

http://www.techflash.com/seattle/2010/03/amazons_1-click_patent_confirmed_following_re-exam.html

After killing all software and business method patents and banning future such patents from being filed, the USPTO can lay off at least half its dead-weight staff.

Software patents have no right to exist. Most of the ones making news over the past few years are out-right counter to some of the basic premises of patents in the first place. Many fail to acknowledge prior art, don't pass the non-obvious test, etc.

I have personally, examples that I've created or been involved with, demonstrated to the public, that qualify as prior art and could potentially affect a number of patents by Apple and Tivo for example, or their competitors. One most perfect example is from a patent troll that went after Apple regarding iTunes. I described, illustrated the app in final UI detail and distributed a RFQ for something similar a couple of years before they had created their implementation. An implementation they claim Apple employees saw at a trade show and based iTunes on. My stuff was from 1991/92.