[laarc]

Probably recruitment. It makes a lot more sense when viewed from the perspective of a researcher who's considering whether to join the NSA.

None of us want patents, and the whole system is absurd. But at one time, it was considered prestigious to be named on a patent. And prestige is a powerful force. Part of the burden of working at a secret agency is that your work is secret.

E.g. This employee will be able to take credit for this work after they leave: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=H...

(Better not try to convert any programs that use loops into a program without loops.)

[TeMPOraL]

Wait, so if I take my ugly iterative code and convert it to a pretty recursive one, I'm infringing on an NSA patent? -.-

[toomuchtodo]

Worry not, if you were infringing, they would've let you know already ;)

[JohannesH]

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