While I wipe some egg off my face, Tom, there
is also another issue worth considering regarding patents;
it goes like this:

------------------------------------------------------------
ANONYMOUS MAN: "Hey! Would you like to sponser
my space-project?"

POTENTIAL WEALTHY-PATRON: "(suspicious; cynical)
And who might you be?"

ANONYMOUS MAN: "My name is [some name], you probably don't know me but I'm the guy who came up with the idea and design to [use your imagination!]... It's useful in space-travel nowadays, as you probably know."

POTENTIAL WEALTHY-PATRON: "Yes! Yes! I know about
that concept and the hardware involved...Some engineer
and space-advocate named Bill Bigego patented it...He's got a great reputation in the aerospace industry.
Is that person you?"

ANONYMOUS MAN: "No! No! No! That man stole credit for the concept and design from me, because I didn't bother TRYING to seek a patent on it."

POTENTIAL WEALTHY-PATRON: "(uneasy, distrustful, but polite) Well...I can't say you did or didn't...Tell you what!
Leave your telephone number with my secretary."

the end. {Le derriere}.

--------------------------------------------------------------
Simplistic, Tom? You bet!...

But...
[allegory]
there comes a time when you may want to leave the spectator-stands behind to make a "difference" and "contribution" on the playing-field.
I've reached a point in my life [I'm 47 now] where I'm about to gamble & to jump out of the spectator-stands onto the playing-field [end of allegory].

cheers.

Jacob