Since the replies seem to be thinking about patents in the context of large businesses, let me clarify the context that I am thinking of: small businesses such

Since the replies seem to be thinking about patents in the context of large businesses, let me clarify the context that I am thinking of: small businesses such as perhaps some iphone app developer that has spent some time developing an app/software that solves an "obvious problem" that no one has bothered to solve before, and that without patent protection would easily be reverse engineered for all the insights? Especially if those insights in fact also require advancing the state of the art in computer science? I'm not talking about big corp X, i'm not talking about truly obvious ideas, I am ONLY talking about small business owners who are writing software that requires computer science research that advances the current state of the art, and which have no way of protecting themselves against copycat software makers (a la happens on the various smart phone app stores) unless patent protection is possible?