NetFlix is suing Blockbuster over two business method patents for having a monthly subscription fee to rent DVDs and to maintain a queue of DVDs to rent subsequently.

This is of particular interest given the slew of new rental services such as GameFly  and BookFree that use the NetFlix model. ( I use GameFly given the high cost of XBOX 360 games ). The preamble specifically refers to renting movies, but I don't know whether that language would be considered limiting. 

I would love to hear Dennis and Stephen (and anyone else!) weigh in on this.

NetFlix also has a patent on their mailer envelope.