Blackboard's patent on the way out

(via Ray Corrigan) I have been following the saga of U.S. Patent 6,988,138 protecting "Internet-based education support system and methods". After winning an injunction in a Texas court, Blackboard has seen 44 of its claims knocked out in a preliminary injunction by the USPTO. Ray has a comprehensive report, so I will not repeat it.

Blackboard's claim exemplifies everything that is wrong with software patents. Theirs is a patent that should not exist, and if there is any justice in the world, it will be repealed and <Hugo Weaving> cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came </Hugo Weaving>.