What would be great
1) Shorten the time for software patents to be effective. 5 years is long enough
2) Reign in stupid patents (like the ‘shopping cart’ fiasco) It should truly be unique, nonintuitive, and not just a combination or alteration of a previous concept.
While 20 years may be too long, 5 years isn’t long enough, if the patents are justified in the first place. That’s the bigger problem - the number of patents that are granted that don’t deserve it. But Stallman’s answer of doing away with all patents on software, or Linus Torvald’s quip to “go whack the guy”, are obviously far out in left field.