Open Source Patents?

If Red Hat truly only want the Linux 'community' to have a defense against future IP trolling, then why not publish the details of their innovation and thus establish publicly visible prior art? Since any innovation would be accessible in the source code anyway, this would merely set up advance publication.

Alternatively, why not make a formal gift of the patent rights to the OSF? This may be against the principles of operation of the OSF but there should be some way of establishing an open 'community IP' pool which is gifted to the world. Or am I just being naive and idealistic?