Is It Easier to Patent Soft Work Than Soft Work?

It's been a while since i've, i used to crank on patents a lot. It's much easier to patent a thing than it is to patent soft work. If you're gong to be that specific, why not just have it as a closely held trade secret? So soon you had a great patent that was discoverable. But for these bigger companies, i just haven't seen good examples where you win.