The problem is more that these days the patent publication is totally useless -- it doesn't describe anything useful for copying the 'invention', and is totally

The problem is more that these days the patent publication is totally useless -- it doesn't describe anything useful for copying the 'invention', and is totally obvious to boot. The government is granting a not-so 'limited monopoly' for what is essentially a trade secret. If software patents required full disclosure of source code and schematics, they wouldn't be nearly as shitty.