>why bother having the USPTO at all? Because 18th century economic theory dictated a patent process because back then information moved so slowly it was easy t

>why bother having the USPTO at all? Because 18th century economic theory dictated a patent process because back then information moved so slowly it was easy to copy a design and market it as your own with consumers unaware that it was a copy. How this remotely connects to software in the information age is beyond me. I don't see a need for the USPTO at all, outside of trademark protection.