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They have not patented any programming language features.

They have patented one or more ways to implement some programming language features.

Read the claims, that is what is protected. Do one step differently and you are golden.

That doens't make it any less sick really (as applies to all software patents). But it's especially sick in the context of programming languages.

It is clear that you, like many commenters in this thread, have very little, if any, understanding of US patent law.

This patent is a nothing burger.

Don't take it personally. Patent law is about the most complex area of law. Most tech press blows it too.

Patent law that allows software patents is already seriously messed up and urgently needs fixing. When it allows patenting programming languages, it's outright sick.

Software based inventions aren't special, they are just new to the game.

They are special enough to cause serious harm to progress if patented. This was demonstrated many times. Since the whole point of patents is to promote progress, software patents should not exist.

From what we see, software patents have caused more harm than good, but would be great if there were enough concrete public examples listed somewhere that prove otherwise.

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