I hate that I have to write about stuff like this - because it means something bad is happening. Via Alistair Kelman an article about the pending patent fight between Apple and Palm. The basic idea is that Apple claims to have patented the multi-touch interface - although as the article makes clear it hasn't done quite that. The key point is - this has nothing to do with innovation. Apple came up with an innovative interface - and it would have done so even if it couldn't have patented it. It earned a lot of money and an enormous first mover advantage from its innovation. This is about trying to retain monopoly power in a market it created, and does not serve to promote innovation - quite the opposite, Apple is clearly trying and to some extent succeeding in preventing innovation.