In a way, it is not good news, but look at this coin from the other side. If Linux distros would not have fat file system, like it is a big deal, Any company doing the switch can safely transfer all their data into an ext3 or a reiserFS, no problems there, we have had problems with the ntfs for a long time , it is just about time to stop using that one too. Linux hardly uses fat, the biggest users are digital cameras and usb flashdrives, converting the flashdrives to ext2 (less overhead) is easy even today, for the camera, my suggestion is, they start manufacturing their devices using one of the many free/oss file systems available starting now, and provide windows with the appropriate device drivers, like they used to do until now. Problem solved. If the patent is about using a file allocation bitmap to allocate space for data on a storage device :-) Then i think the patent will be overurned by some more appropriate filesystem rights owner. There are plenty of filesystems pre-dating dos and Ms that use an allocation bitmap, in fact one that springs to mind, is the C64 DOS, Is very similar to the ms-fat file system, the main difference does seem to be the c64 dos uses track 18 for the fat storage (and they called it fat too) and ms chose to use track 0. Now C64 pre-dates even the IBM PC for that matter. Anything before that would be mainframe stuff. And they all use an allocation bitmap to register disk/storage usage.
Cheers Szemir On February 9, 2006 10:36, Dave Watkins wrote: > Hi All, > > Recently there was some chatter on this list concerning Microsoft's patent > claims surrounding their "ownership of FAT, file allocation table. > > Here's a link and a copy of the message attached. > > Cheers, > > Dave Watkins > VP CLUG > > ................................................................. > > http://www.linuxpipeline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=177100273 > > ................................................................ > Does Microsoft Patent Victory Bode Ill For Open Source? > > Redmond's 'FAT' surprise could mean big trouble for many Open Source > projects -- or it could be much ado about nothing. > > By W. David Gardner > Courtesy of TechWeb News > > Microsoft's announcement Tuesday that a federal ruling has deemed its > Windows file-storage systems patents valid, is raising concerns in the open > source community. > > The software giant's victory in the file allocation table (FAT) patents > battle could demonstrate that global patents systems can be dangerous to > the health of Linux and the open source community at large. > "This is now a situation in which Microsoft could cause major problems to > Linux vendors and users," said Florian Mueller, the leader of an > anti-software patents initiative in Europe Wednesday. "The example of the > FAT patents shows that all those patent quality initiatives and patent > pledges have no significant value to open source developers, vendors and > users if Microsoft ever wants to go for Linux's throat," he said in an > email. > > The FAT filesystem, sometimes called the DOS file system, contained patents > that were deemed patentable by the USPTO because they were "novel and > non-obvious." The patents had been challenged by some individual computer > users and by the Public Patent Foundation. Last year, it appeared that the > open source community, which maintains there was "prior art" inherent in > the patents, had prevailed. > > But in a decision filed last week, examiners sided with Microsoft, which > noted Tuesday that a "patent re-examination certificate," signifying > conclusion of the issue, is being prepared. Microsoft had argued that it > developed the FAT in 1976. > > Eben Moglen, general counsel of the Free Software Foundation, had said if > Microsoft was successful in licensing the patents, it could add "millions > of dollars annually to consumers' expenses for digital photo storage, and > (raise) the cost of digital cameras throughout the world." > > The patent decision could represent a proverbial Sword of Damocles hanging > over the open source community, because Microsoft could, at least in > theory, seek royalties for Linux. Microsoft has given no indication it > plans to use the patents against the open source community. > > David Kaefer, Microsoft director of business development, said his firm was > pleased with the USPTO decision. "This result underscores the validity of > these patents but also the importance of allowing third parties to request > re-examination," he said, according to published reports. > > Mueller said the decision "gives Microsoft the strategic option" to cause > problems for the Linux and open source community. "The USPTO and even the > European Patent Office continue to grant new patents to Microsoft daily, > and some of them may be equally dangerous to open source as the FAT > patents," he said > ................................. > > > > _______________________________________________ > clug-talk mailing list > [email protected] > http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca > Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) > **Please remove these lines when replying _______________________________________________ clug-talk mailing list [email protected] http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) **Please remove these lines when replying
