[OT] Microsoft filled patent applications for scoped and immutable types

[Nick Sabalausky via Digitalmars-d]

On 9/1/2014 3:11 PM, Russel Winder via Digitalmars-d wrote:
> On Mon, 2014-09-01 at 09:43 +0000, monarch_dodra via Digitalmars-d
> wrote:
>
>> Then again, it takes a certain kind of corporate greed to try to
>> put a patent on things we'd have never thought of as "inventions".
>
> Aren't corporate and greed synonyms?
>

That's actually true in much more than just a snide comment sort of way. 
A corporation is *legally obligated* to put shareholder profit above all 
other concerns. Either they act like greedy f&#ks or they risk getting 
the crap sued out of them. The problem is we've permitted, and promoted, 
a system where companies are owned by people (shareholders) whose *sole* 
interest in the company is purely financial.

The *real* role of businesses in a society is to provide worthwhile 
goods and/or services. Revenue, and even profit, is ultimately just a 
necessary means to that end. But stocks and incorporation flip this 
around, to disastrous results.

[Steps down from soapbox...]