The idea of "defensive patenting" is completely wrecked by the presence of non-practicing entities. You can't bargain with patent trolls because they have no n

The idea of "defensive patenting" is completely wrecked by the presence of non-practicing entities. You can't bargain with patent trolls because they have no need for your IP. All you can do is pay them to go away, either before or after a jury of hayseeds in East Texas forces you to. And there is absolutely no guarantee that the patents you file while working for XYZ MegaCorp will not end up in the hands of a non-practicing entity before they expire. Even the largest companies may be sold, merged, spun off, or liquidated multiple times over twenty years. All software patents are bad, just as all slavery is bad. And the only way to keep bad patents from being granted is to document and publish your work as widely as you can... which, of course, leaves you even more vulnerable to attack by both trolls and practicing entities. In summary, the only way to win is not to play.