You won't get any arguments from me that the current system isn't broken. I personally believe that we'd get a lot farther if every claim on a patent had to be

You won't get any arguments from me that the current system isn't broken. I personally believe that we'd get a lot farther if every claim on a patent had to be "reduced to practice", that is -- actually done. I think change alone this would help to get rid of trolls from the system. But I don't think it would be better if we didn't have patents at all. So many things are currently protected by trade secrets and not disclosed. Imagine if it were all kept secret... I don't think that would benefit the public interest. And that was the original goal -- benefiting the public.