In theory, you're absolutely right. In practice, the USPTO has shown themselves to be uniquely and spectacularly incompetent at handling software patents. It's

In theory, you're absolutely right. In practice, the USPTO has shown themselves to be uniquely and spectacularly incompetent at handling software patents. It's possible to imagine a software patent system that is a net benefit to society, but what we have now is a huge negative. We should nuke it from orbit and then maybe think about trying again.