Re: [ros-general] Microsoft wants royalties for use of FAT

[Mark IJbema]

On Thu, Dec 04, 2003 at 04:54:18PM -0600, Vizzini wrote:
>   On Thu, 2003-12-04 at 16:03, Casper Hornstrup wrote:
> >   http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/ip/tech/fat.asp
>  
>  sigh...
>  
>  Looks pretty bad, actually.  We're going to have to think about this. 
>  This patent really can't be licensed for use with a GPL'd operating
>  system unless the fundamental terms are changed.  
>  
>  CDs and DVDs would still be usable, and floppy disks might be if we
>  don't implement any patented things (FAT existed in 1985, and all those
>  patents are expired now).  
>  
>  Things could get really sticky with digital cameras, mp3 players, etc... 
Well, i think we're gonna face lots of these things, since we're
'copying' a OS of MS, which is patented in many more ways. FS is just a
minor one, since it's quite irrelevant to the working of the OS.

Mark