Pat(i)ent technology

I was browsing for the first implementation of rmap way back in 2001 and came across this -

http://kerneltrap.org/node/388

Just read Linus' comments in reply to Daniel Phillips

"
> It goes on in this vein. I suggest all vm hackers have a close look at
> this. Yes, it's stupid, but we can't just ignore it.

Actually, we can, and I will.

I do not look up any patents on _principle_, because (a) it's a horrible
waste of time and (b) I don't want to know.

The fact is, technical people are better off not looking at patents. If
you don't know what they cover and where they are, you won't be knowingly
infringing on them. If somebody sues you, you change the algorithm or you
just hire a hit-man to whack the stupid git.

Linus"

It goes without saying - pat(i)enting is _sick_ really! It makes everybody sick - except the attorneys! It may give a temporary satisfaction for a person on his/her creative abilities. It may act as a temporary motivator. It may really help a company in an environment where everybody is paranoid about security (thereby they lose freedom - that calls for a different post)!!! What makes people want to limit knowledge and why is everybody so bothered abt commercializing a technology?!!! Anyways, why bother abt it - as Linus says - technical people are better off without them! I must say, quality of a genius never shows in following rules, does it?? Does it show in extra-ordinary algorithms alone??? I guess it is a combination of all - finally its abt his attitude, I guess!