why is this unexpected ?
I thought that was the intent of software patents ? Laws made by lawyers, for lawyers. And a government whose inner circle is mostly lawyers. Thats most in the west these days. Governments that serve mostly the big end of town, no matter how well intentioned the individual local rep may be. The concept of the common good and citizen seems to have been lost in the welter of special pleading from self appointed victims that want money. I digress. Perhaps the cure for the current flood of overly prescriptive government is to ensure all candidates for legal roles have a decade in the real world first. Running a corner store or small engineering firm spring to mind.