As much fun as it has been -- and it has been fun -- to hear Steve Ballmer verbally backhand Linux distributors with threats of patent lawsuits, to watch the whole Microsoft-Novell Linux deal dissolve faster than a Britney Spears marriage (and, yes, that’s our attempt to drag our pop-cultural references into this century) , and to witness the hue and cry of open-source types, bloggers and other pundits following the deal, we all might want to take a step back and pay attention to something very important that will start this week: The US Supreme Court is going to take a look at patents.