The 2-3 year wait on getting a patent issued can be an eternity in software while a competitor has ripped you off soon after you released. Anyone who has been i

The 2-3 year wait on getting a patent issued can be an eternity in software while a competitor has ripped you off soon after you released. Anyone who has been in that case would gladly trade a term of half the length for a granting that took place twice as quickly. I think software needs a new kind of protection, that issues faster, makes it easier for other people to search, and expires sooner.