Despite my fondness for most of the things that are developed in Cupertino’s factory of dreams,  Apple’s fondness of software patents is one of their least pleasant characteristics at the moment. If it’s not bad enough trying to protect the very idea of a tablet computer by patents ( imagine if someone had down that with laptops ?) this patent, is in effect trying to patent the process of cartography !

To illustrate just how ludicrous software patents have become, the image below displayed electronically could be in breach of Apple’s successful patent !

Clearly there is a need for Patents, but the current process by which almost any vague idea or any concept even with considerable prior art is granted a patent has to change.

Written and submitted from home (51.425N, 0.331W)