What are patents about *really*?
The purpose of patents were to improve innovation and make the results available to society. Before patents were introduced, people would try to protect their inventions by keeping the details as secret as possible. Patents are supposed to get them to reveal the details by getting a time limited monopoly in return. Then others can keep innovating by building on top and eventually the inventions will become free for everybody to use. It is important to keep in mind that companies are construed to serve society. We created them to fulfil a certain role. Whenever that role is obsoleted or no longer needed the companies have two choices; find a new role that society needs or perish. If the latter occurs they will be missed by few.