It might be instructive to ask yourself why the software industry is full of stories opposite brador's expectations. For example, consider that by definition,

It might be instructive to ask yourself why the software industry is full of stories opposite brador's expectations. For example, consider that by definition, there can be no stories about technologies that have been kept secret. (I dislike software patents myself and agree with you, though, that, for a variety of reasons, we'd still see plenty of innovation without them.)