...This is a strange discussion thread. I assumed it was an ancient Usenet thread before business method patents became common.<p>But, it's not. It's recent. It's in the Lean Startup group.<p>You already can patent business models, if they're defined specifically enough: that's a business model patent, like Amazon One-Click.<p>You can probably also patent business models if they're not defined specifically enough, because the USPTO will let all sorts of things through these days, and then you can saber-rattle all sorts of things out of it.<p>Are you really a viable startup founder when you don't understand the basics of the current practices in IP law? Given that failed startups often have their IP as their only viable asset?