You know you've been around the block a few times...

[jducoeur]

... when your internal monologue goes something like this:

"A-ha!  Yes, that looks like the right solution to the problem."

(Smug.)  "Oh, I like that -- it's pretty innovative, and I think it's even a good user workflow."

(Dismay.)  "Oh, crap -- that means I probably have to write an effing patent..."

ETA: folks, I appreciate that you're trying to help with the comments, but you're not -- you're making an extremely difficult and painful decision much worse. I've been studying this question at *least* as long as any of you, I understand it quite deeply from all sides, and quite frankly, you're not in my shoes and don't understand the sheer number of issues I'm juggling here. Please stop.

Comments

[dsrtao]

Pros and cons.

Pro: a patent might be useful as a visible proof of the company's asset.

Pro: a patent might be useful to sue a competitor

Pro: ...I think that's all.

Con: publishing is much, much cheaper

Con: having a patent won't save you much in a defensive lawsuit. Establishing that a patent covers what you think it covers versus a publication covering the same technique will come out even.

Con: publishing benefits other programmers. Most of them will not be in competition with you.

Con: owning a patent that other programmers want to use forces them to buy licenses and hire lawyers, which are not things that other programmers enjoy.

But mostly I could just point you at

http://jducoeur.livejournal.com/845505.html

and

https://jducoeur.dreamwidth.org/265450.html

and https://jducoeur.dreamwidth.org/528071.html?thread=3962055#cmt3962055