6,202,008

I remember reading an Australian patent once (from Motorola, I think) that had claims to the effect of an electronic device that has software capable of downloading and applying an update to itself. I mean, stuff like that is what your reasonably bright high school kid would come up with. It is entirely ridiculous to give people monopolies over ideas like that.

Unfortunately, powerful lobby groups control the legislation and most people are under the impression that monopoly rights such as copyright and patent are some kind of natural human right. In the meantime, they are the ones paying for it. World really is a strange place...