As they say today - "It's ALL good" - As a player that just pounds out tune after tune, night after night - I am not looking for a solo persusionist ... I just want the beat. That enables me to do MY thing, without any distractions. To each his own, but for those of us that play alot - I'll bet that any length loop will become predictabe in time.
It's all about what we add on TOP of these patterns that really matters. There is a reason they refer to drum machines as "side men" - they need to know their place in the music.
For a serious composer, or jazz imroviser, or any free form-type player - NO machine will ever meet the requirememts of a spontanious human brain. These machines are for the rest of us, that just need a cheap backing band that shows up on time, dresses alike, and doesn't drink...... I Love working with cats like that!