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Patent Office asked to review Microsoft FAT patent (Register)
A group called the Public Patent Foundation
is challenging Microsoft's patent on the FAT filesystem.
"According to the Public Patent Foundation's request, "the '517 patent is causing immeasurable injury to the public by serving as a tool to enlarge Microsoft’s monopoly while also preventing competition from Free Software." "Microsoft is using its control over the interchange of digital media to aid its ongoing effort to deter competition from Free and Open Source Software. Specifically, Microsoft does not offer licenses to the '517 patent for use in Free Software."
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Patent Office asked to review Microsoft FAT patent (Register) Posted Apr 16, 2004 15:01 UTC (Fri) by jre (guest, #2807) [Link] LWN is to be commended for covering the FAT patent issue so thoroughly.You might also want to note Groklaw's article on the subject.
Patent Office asked to review Microsoft FAT patent (Register) Posted Apr 17, 2004 12:41 UTC (Sat) by hereticmessiah (guest, #19909) [Link] That, and all FAT boils down to is a bunch of linked lists. It's a patent that caneasily be defeated on a whole host of grounds. As filing systems go, it's an obvious, not to mention simplistic, way to managing block allocation.
Patent Office asked to review Microsoft FAT patent (Register) Posted Apr 19, 2004 22:54 UTC (Mon) by XERC (guest, #14626) [Link] The problem here is, that the patent system doesn't provide fair share to the innovator by preserving compedition. I don't say, that the FAT is aninvention and as we deal wiht the software patents here, then it should not be patentable at all. For the solution on nonsoftware patents, that preserve compedion while providing a very good share to real innovators, please take a look at one of my comments at the SCO-case related news.
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