The horror that is the United States Patent and Trademark Office has one more feather in its cap. It has granted (4 years ago, no less) a patent on swinging from a swing. Before you kids go to the park, remember to send this guy your royalties, or you’d be breaking the law.

I used to think Software Patents are the most obnoxious form of abuse of the Patent System, but this has to be it. A lot of people have said this time and again, and perhaps I’ll repeat it to add one more voice to the crowd: the patent system needs serious reform, or we run the risk of stifling creativity and innovation.

What was designed to promote creativity by promising financial gain for inventors will likely prevent inventors in the future from creating anything simply because someone has already patented the abstract idea years before, with no clue of how to actually create a working prototype.

Couple that with Congress passing laws to extend the term of copyright on historical works, keeping them out of the public domain for another 20 years. Seriously, why don’t companies like Disney make something new and creative that might fetch them some money, instead of lobbying Congress to pass laws like this, so they can continue to make money off Walt’s legacy?

What Would Walt Do?