The idea is actually not simple, and as I've commented elsewhere it turns out it is actually worthy of patent protection, and this particular company couldn't h

The idea is actually not simple, and as I've commented elsewhere it turns out it is actually worthy of patent protection, and this particular company couldn't have even brought to market without it. I know it seems incredible, but that is the reality. Moreover, if they had not gotten patent protection on it and then a grant (from how I read their email to me on this subject, included in my other comment), they wouldn't have even been able to finish developing it. If they hadn't developed it, but only described the idea, people would have probably thought they were nuts.