In some cases openness might allow you to exploit the invention, especially when a patent affects you directly. If you are a webmaster then Google's PR patent d

In some cases openness might allow you to exploit the invention, especially when a patent affects you directly. If you are a webmaster then Google's PR patent does, for example. In the world without software patents, there's no way of knowing how it works, neither exploiting it. Although of course there's the advantage of using independently made similar inventions without fear.