This is one of the reasons I followed the Oracle v Google suit with such interest. Below some minimum threshold of complexity, it seems like software ought to

This is one of the reasons I followed the Oracle v Google suit with such interest. Below some minimum threshold of complexity, it seems like software ought to cross the idea/expression divide and become copyright-exempt, just as a mathematical formula does. In fact, the example you gave is something that could easily be recreated letter for letter without seeing the original post. I'd be utterly shocked if that sort of "could have written it from scratch" code ever caused someone an IP problem.