Programmers and lawyers discuss "Solutions to the Software Patent Problem"

So in summary, lawyers like software patents and software engineers don't. Nothing new.

Lawyers will never "see the shortsightedness of this policy." They will continue to dismiss complaints as "anecdotal." Lawyers stand to lose a lot more. Thousands of lawyers have built careers on software patents in the last 10 years and would have to start over at a time when there aren't many other jobs for them.

Of course in the long term this really hurts America's growth, but who will stand up for long term gain and endure short term pain? Certainly none of our elected leaders, none of whom know a thing about technology.

We have always had a solution to this problem: patents on math are not allowed. Now we just need the patent office to stop giving credence to the "well it's not a patent on math because it also says 'on a computer!'" lie, and this problem will go away once and for all.