Recently, a US federal circuit judge gave an opinion that supported banning software patents. Software patents are patents for computer programs. While it is unlikely software patents will be abolished anytime soon, they have been the subject of much controversy in recent years. Proponents argue inventors of computer programs have the right to profit from their inventions like anyone else. However, some critics state patent laws should be industry-specific with software patents being an especially salient example of this principle. Whatever one’s opinion about software patents, most could agree new technologies create new legal challenges and public policy debates.