> The point of patents (at least in the US) is to benefit society. The question is if granting a monopoly on ideas is actually benefiting society. Yes. > And

> The point of patents (at least in the US) is to benefit society. The question is if granting a monopoly on ideas is actually benefiting society. Yes. > And having it ripped off within the first year of commercially using it because it wasn't patented. "Ripped off" is kind of a biased way of phrasing it.