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"allegedly stole" >> "stole" - it was proved in a court of law, there is thus no "allegedly" about it, it is a simple matter of public record |
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Those who favor software patents believe that software are inventions to the same extent as hardware and that the law should and, in practice is not able to, distinguish software inventions from hardware inventions. Proponents also argue that the patent system rewards inventors of innovative approaches in software, and thus promote innovation. This belief is important in the US, because this is the only permitted reason for a patent to be granted according to the [[United States Constitution|US Constitution]]. More specifically, the Constitution only permits Congress "to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries."
Opponents charge that software patents are particularly favored by lawyers, who financially benefit from patent litigation, and by some (though not all) very large software companies, who hope to use patents to prevent competitors from using the patented technology. However, the success of Stack Electronics against Microsoft in enforcing its software patent on disk compression technology (after Microsoft
== Opposition to Software Patents ==
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