In today's trend for ever more business flexibility and it cost reduction, any reengineering process should try to optimize the software assets and the it resources.

在当今日益增多的业务灵活性和IT成本削减的趋势下，所有再造工程过程都应该试图优化软件资产和IT资源。

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The Supreme Court first upheld a software patent in 1981, involving software controlling a process for curing rubber, and since then patents have become a vital bulwark protecting the assets of big companies like IBM and Microsoft.

FORBES: The Supreme Court Keeps Business-Method Patents Alive