The corporate crooks are lobbying to change the law so that people wouldn't be able to spell any technical word or use any formula any more without paying royalties ! http://www.abanet.org/intelprop/99-00/701.html "Section favors in principal that subject matter which is potentially eligible for patent protection includes any application of an abstract idea, law of nature, or natural phenomena to achieve a useful, concrete and tangible result including, but not limited to, the use of computer implemented inventions encompassing business methods, user interfaces, algorithms, performance enhancements, data structures, usability enhancements, or other inventions which have a beneficial result or other practical application. "
If you're not a big firm it's useless: like BT you must have millions and millions to pay the lawyer. If this law pass, then BT can come back and ask again royalties on mouse click on an hyperlink. it is through providers and tax/public subvention that they intend to collect such royalties.