greased-up watermelon: a thing that looks like it has real heft, but is almost impossible to firmly grasp.that is to describe the governments position. It is my position that computers are approximate implementation of the mathematical concept known as Universal Turning Machine. A Turning Machine has an "infinite tape" and that cannot be constructed in a finite space so a computer is an approximation.
The government has decided and the Supreme Court agreed in Bilski v. Kappos to dissollow the business method patents. It's reasoning hinges on software that “disclose technological, scientific, or industrial innovations” which can't be patented and “improve the way computers function” which can be patented. This is a line drawing in the sand during a sand storm. In the world of mathematics this means nothing. The Federal Circuit Court could not follow the line set by the SCOTUS. There is really no way to tell that a "improve the way computer function" is not also to "disclose technological, scientific, or industrial innovations".
It was a oft told story by Engineers and Science Majors as Lehigh about the treatment of Engineers by the English department. I learned later that English degrees were often a route for a law degree. I believe there is a bias in the legal profession about the superiority of English to represent all concepts. A school mate of mine remarked how the English Majors just didn't get an analogy based on concepts of Freshman Calculus. When you deal with the fine points about computers math is required real math.The distinctions of the software decided by SCOTUS is Bilski are only words with no real meaning. This confused the Federal Circuit.
In Alice the SCOTUS get a do over, don't mess it up this time!
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