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$.
So, they really are not going to be able to hold patents very long for
cross platform integration.
Of course, there is always TomTom - let's see if others stand up to this:
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20090305203031867
On 7/18/09, der.hans <
PLUGd@lufthans.com> wrote:
> Am 18. Jul, 2009 schwätzte Lisa Kachold so:
>
>> Not sure what you are trying to do, but pendrive installations use
>> Fat32 which is supported under both Linux and Windows.
>
> Well, FAT partitions suck, they're patent encumbered and according to
> m$ 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
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