Fat wallet companies can and do game the system. They patent every new minor feature, creating a rolling portfolio of patents that collectively never expire.

It may be true that individually, each patent is mostly bullshit -- slight re-wording of prior art. But do you feel like a lucky punk, as an individual or small outfit, going up against EvilCorp's $1200/hr cap'n of their debate team in HS lawyers, a dozen times over five years? (with non-technical judges & juries as the final arbiter of your fate)