Since the very early days, a great many integration tools in Linux have involved hundreds of patent infringements. Microsoft keeps these as a sort of hold card: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/05/28/100033867/ And just started licensing (without having to do too much to prove their case for patent) the VFAT in 2003: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2003/dec03/12-03ExpandIPPR.mspx VFAT Contraversy: http://lwn.net/Articles/338981/ Linux Magazine writes: Microsoft certainly knows how powerful the use of patents can be to stifle technological advancement and control markets. In 1991 Bill Gates wrote: “If people had understood how patents would be granted when most of today’s ideas were invented, and had taken out patents, the industry would be at a complete standstill today.” It’s this realisation that Microsoft has taken on board to control the market and destroy their opposition. A major component of the problem is that there are hundreds of thousands of patents and it’s almost impossible to ensure software is not violating any of them. This has been perpetuated further by all players building up a larger portfolio of patents to either counter sue or to use as bargaining chips. It’s an arms race that leaves the small players out in the cold. Due to this uncertainty, free software developers may not feel safe without the backing of a major corporation. As it’s impossible to be aware of all patent violations, companies that use free software might be opening themselves up to the threat of legal action. At least, this is the angle that companies like Microsoft are using to stifle the adoption of free software. The message to companies is that using free software is not safe because it might be violating various patents, which would then expose them to legal action. In short, your company is at risk if you use free software. This is something that free software is trying to fight, but which is difficult to do as the patent infringements are not readily known. --end quote-- m$ has been approaching companies and requesting that they sign non-disclosure agreements related to their "patents": http://blogs.computerworld.com/linux_companies_sign_microsoft_patent_protection_pacts Except that German courts declared it Null and Void: http://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/86141 So, I personally don't expect that governments and others are suddenly going to start to change their use of FAT32, vFAT, etc. As you already determined, whatever is used MUST integrate with m$. So, they really are not going to be able to hold patents very long for cross platform integration. Of course, there is always TomTom - let's see if others stand up to this: http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20090305203031867 On 7/18/09, der.hans wrote: > Am 18. Jul, 2009 schwätzte Lisa Kachold so: > >> Not sure what you are trying to do, but pendrive installations use >> Fat32 which is supported under both Linux and Windows. > > Well, FAT partitions suck, they're patent encumbered and according to > m$ they're not allowed to work under Linux unless we pay extortion > money. They need to go away. > > I think the m$ patent claims won't hold up to scrutiny, but why fight to > keep something that sucks? Instead, let's come up with a way to support > free and open filesystems everywhere and get them to be the default. > > I just format my thumb drives to ext$something, but I don't have to worry > about being able to use them on windows boxen. > > Most people do need that ability. Let's give them unencumbered > filesystems. If we do this right everyone will be able to use partitions > we associate with Linux, *BSD, OpenSolaris and most anything else. > > Heck, if we can get FUSE working on windows without needing a kernel > driver that would be absolutely outstanding :). > > ciao, > > der.hans > -- > # http://www.LuftHans.com/ http://www.LuftHans.com/Classes/ > # "My team has created a very innovative solution, but we're still looking > # for a problem to to with it." -- Randy Glasbergen, 14Mar2006 -- http://linuxgazette.net/164/kachold.html (623)239-3392 (503)754-4452 www.obnosis.com --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss