Ars has a good discussion of the US Patent and Trademark Office’s recent switch in policy towards software patents. Before, the USPTO would issue patents willy-nilly, causing massive lawsuits and stifling competition amongst software makers. Now, the USPTO is moving towards a more moderate policy, increasing scrutiny of patents to make sure they’re really original. The USPTO should be applauded for its attempt to strike a healthy balance between encouraging innovation and ensuring competition, not lamented.