Prior Art in Preference to Patents

‘Prior Art is all information that has been made available to the public in any form that is relevant to a patent’s claims of originality.’ (wikipedia)
To be valid prior art, it is necessary to ‘provide a description sufficient to inform an average worker in the field’. Publication can be in any form including, patent applications, textbooks, newspapers, lectures, or via the internet.

Consider using a form of publication of your prior art to avoid the cost of patent protection. It could, at worst, give you the opportunity to continue using your technology under ‘Prior Use’ rights that trade secrets may not.

Warning as with all things with a legal bias you need to take care in proportion to your risk and reward.
Prior-Art-O-Matic generates a bit of fun on the subject of Prior Art.