Patents vs Trade Secrets

Trade secrets don't prevent someone else from independently developing the same thing, or reverse-engineering the solution. Very few things can be successfully kept as trade secrets for an extended time. Moreover, patents do not preclude trade secrets and in most cases can only make things worse: If one expects to be able to maintain a trade secret for at least the duration of a patent, without independent rediscovery, then one would choose secrecy over the patent since there is no built-in

"Secret patents" are a thing.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invention_Secrecy_Act

I believe that if you want the protection of patent, you should disclose everything and it not suppose to be a secret. If you want to keep it as a secret, don't patent it. Isn't that is the reason behind the patent system? Inspire people to create things by providing certainty that no one will be allowed to reproduce their creations until patent expires. The only reasonable thing after that is to make the patented technology (including all the bits and pieces) a public knowledge.

You are misunderstanding the matter of patents. Modern patents exist precisely because of the inevitability of industrial espionage, which is largely practiced by all developed countries. The goal is that, even after a trade secret is stolen, it will be made useless because nobody can use that information. So the goal is not to "share knowledge", but to avoid the practical use of knowledge that was shared by any means.Also, you are mistaken in thinking that, by publishing a patent,

IIRC without patents you have trade secrets, patents ensure the details are more widely known (in theory).

wrong, they should patent it. let the hobbyist learn how they do, and prevent competitors from copying.they tried to have the cake (don't patent, don't publish) and eat it too (not pay people and processes enough to protect your trade secrets)

You are confusing patents with copyright. Patents were meant to encourage people to disclose. It was taken for granted that people will invent things regardless of patent protection - they will just keep their inventions trade secrets.

Don't want to reveal their methods cause patent infringement.

Aren't you thinking of trade secrets by that statement? Patents would let anyone do it you just have to pay google their fee.

Theyre going to have patents assigned...if they keep it secret someone else could get them first