On Thu, Dec 04, 2003 at 10:56:36PM +0100, Arnoud Engelfriet wrote: > Steve Langasek wrote: > > On Thu, Dec 04, 2003 at 09:12:28PM +0000, Jean Darcoux wrote: > > > I just see this web page : http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/ip/tech/fat.asp > > > > > I wonder if this mean that all software that implement FAT filesystem are > > > non-free (and not acceptable into Debian) ? > > > > No. Why would it? The FAT filesystem driver in the Linux kernel wasn't > > written by anyone who was bound by Microsoft's licensing terms. > On the web page Jean mentioned Microsoft asserts it has four > patents that are necessarily infringed by FAT filesystems. > At a glance they seem related to long/short filename conversion > like VFAT does. > I have no idea whether Linux' FAT support infringes on these patents, > but this definitely should be investigated. No, it should not. If Microsoft thinks we infringe their software patents, let them come to us. Anything else unduly legitimizes the bastard regime of software patents. -- Steve Langasek postmodern programmer
Attachment:
pgpECArO_khB6.pgp
Description: PGP signature