Yes, but how does one area of research of CS being pointless spoil the other areas? I don't think it is a curate's egg at all. I don't want to claim that CS is not spoiled, though. The patronage thing might be a problem. However, research topics do have to compete even in science - they may not be exposed to judgement by the general public, as are companies, but internally, there are mechanisms of selection. Probably not the best ones, but still. And if too much money would flow into obviously useless research, there might even be a public outcry.