The USPTO has not always been so eager to issue software patents. Up until the early 90s they were reluctant as they saw code as a language which could be copyrighted, but not invented. From what I understand, most software patents came flooding in after the Court of Appeals ruled in favor in the case in re Alappat, 1994. OP could have spent some more time doing research on software patent history before writing this, I feel.

Edit for source http://patentsusa.blogspot.com/2007/02/in-re-alappat-1994.ht...