What's your opinion of software patents?

"Google has a total of 111,911 patents globally, out of which 69,905 have been granted. Of these 111,911 patents, more than 70% patents are active.

Google's technical innovations and diverse business initiatives have contributed to its portfolio of over 50,000 patent assets worldwide."

https://insights.greyb.com/google-patents/

"Apple Inc: 2,541 patents granted"

"Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC: 2,418 patents granted."

"Qualcomm Inc: 2,149 patents granted."

"BOE Technology Group Co Ltd: 2,135 patents granted."

https://www.macrumors.com/2022/02/14/apple-ranks-seventh-wit...

If the richest and smartest companies are patenting their algorithms and software, you probably should too, if you don't want people copying your software code, and it gives you the right to sue those who do.

Always good to protect yourself, no matter where you are starting, or where you are going.

What they're mostly able to achieve these days is to prevent innovation, they are a tool of power. Patents are a way for the people with money to bully others out of their attempts to do anything. Most patents are absolute BS and should not have been granted at all, they're about things other people could have invented with 10 minutes of thinking. They're also giving an extra advantages to countries which simply do not bother with them.

Heck, they're preventing innovation even with Arcade Sticks!! (see Hitbox Arcade attempts to bully competitors that had a superior product)

The tests for obviousness should now be updated to include anything you can find in a short time on the Internet, or a Computer Science book.