it might be a sudden inspiration, too quick to be fully evolved, but isn't the gnu/linux community alread "big" enough to file some software patents on their own?

and wouldn't this be a justified means to stop the promoters of software patents? i think if companies like microsoft had to pay for some important feature developed by the gnu/linux people the whole issue would get a little twist.

i just have no idea if there are any such potential patents in the open source / free software world...