This is not a joke!
For a long time it has been joked about in communities discussing the problems with the patent system. The classic joke is now reality: Someone has submitted a patent application for the story-line of a book. If approved, the plot will become "Intellectual Property" subject to monopoly control by the patent owner. It is not a mystery novel (the mystery novel plotline is usually the McGuffin of the joke), but it's a fairly common plot, nonetheless.
Here's the patent application. (edit: sorry that messed up the page layout...)
Here is some information put up by people that are doing this:
http://www.plotpatents.com/Value.htm
Here is a proponents legal analysis driven by the modern patent system:
http://www.plotpatents.com/legal_analysis.htm
And here is some more commentary from Pamela Jones and the Groklawrians:
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20051103183218268
If you do any writing, be very afraid. You might even want to become active. I think there's going to be a reaction against this, I'm not so sure the (correct) reaction will be found in the legislature...
Here's the patent application. (edit: sorry that messed up the page layout...)
Here is some information put up by people that are doing this:
http://www.plotpatents.com/Value.htm
Here is a proponents legal analysis driven by the modern patent system:
http://www.plotpatents.com/legal_analysis.htm
And here is some more commentary from Pamela Jones and the Groklawrians:
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20051103183218268
If you do any writing, be very afraid. You might even want to become active. I think there's going to be a reaction against this, I'm not so sure the (correct) reaction will be found in the legislature...