I think everyone has a list of inventions that are so great that a patent is a fair way for society to reward the inventor. Alas, the personal lists are often

I think everyone has a list of inventions that are so great that a patent is a fair way for society to reward the inventor. Alas, the personal lists are often much shorter than the patent offices' lists. For me, the Polio vaccine is an easy one. Of course, Salk chose not to patent it, but I would have been happy to make him and his lab very rich.