Ian Foster points to a smelly piece of patent action by IBM, and says really all that needs to be said:

We all know that the US patent system has its weaknesses: that every now and then, people get granted patents for things that are either well known or obvious.

…IBM has finally gotten around to applying for a patent on grid computing. For example:

a computer-implemented method of providing access to grid computing resources available to a plurality of users comprises receiving, from a requesting entity, a request to use a specific grid computing resource to perform a defined function; and routing the request to the specific grid computing resource in accordance with the request.

It’s not April, but I still read the patent grant. Ian’s not fooling us.

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