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Almost all inventions can be reduced to "just math", because after all, that's what we use to describe the physical world, and oh also computer software things.

I'm not in favour of patents at all, but the entire "it's math" argument has always seemed exceedingly weak to me.

These files have carefully constructed format though. To read and write the patented format goes beyond patenting math. I think cmrdporcupine was getting at something.

Yep, it's not like I think the patent is just. I think software patents are mostly junk. But saying "because it's math" is highly uninformative.

First principles is fine, but where is the argument?