I don't think we should end patents, as I think that someone that develops an idea has the right to profit from that idea, if she chooses so (and the same holdsfor companies doing R&D). What I think should be done, is reflecting on patents/copyright duration, as in some cases it seems too long for me, to the point that in some cases we have that the profits end up in the hands of companies that have nothing to do with the original inventor/author.