No. In the short term, it hurt a lot because people had to be trained, etc. But in the long term, it sent a message. Maybe some federal employees would be on strike right now if Reagan hadn't done that.
Sometimes tough decisions need to be made. Especially those that are to improve things in the long term, even if it hurts in the short term. That's what being a man is, being able to make hard decisions.
To me software patents and patents for, for example, real world engines are the same. It's okay not to like patents, but separating software patents from the rest makes no sense.