Software Patents are bad - Period. The patent system was created to protect inventors from being robbed of their inventions by bigger players or bad people. Software companies want software patents because they want to patent generic and designs and algorithms to prevent anybody else from using them or to gain royalties from using them. Software is just a means of processing information and information should be open.
Government of India had rejected software patents in 2005 but now some vested interests are trying to sneak it through the Patent Manual. Free Software Users Group Bangalore is organizing a Candle Light Vigil in Bangalore on 23rd August 2008 at 5.30 pm in front of Town Hall near Corporation Circle, Bangalore. This is in protest of software patents and the current initiative to sneak it in.
So if you are in/around Bangalore and you oppose software patents (believe me - you should), then do join the Free Software community in fighting this evil. You can read more about this campaign at Say no to Software Patents Campaign page at the Free Software Communities of India website. You can read more about the international campaign against software patents at www.nosoftwarepatents.com
Software patents
I agree, software patents are a terrible idea. That would only serve to stifle creativity and make sure different good ideas could never be combined.