> If I write a great piece of software, patent it, then run a business selling it, then that patent does me (and my family) a lot of good. I worked hard to create the software, and I should reap the rewards.

Your non-trivial software is already in violation of scores or even hundreds of existing patents. You should get as many software patents as possible to cover your ass.

> Patents are necessary to encourage people to innovate

[looks around] In software, this is not the case.

Software patents are a good idea in theory, but in practice, the baby needs to get thrown out with the bathwater.