VFAT Patch to Bypass Patent Issue
Developer Andrew Tridgell has made known that he devised a patch to avoid the possible patent issues with the VFAT filesystem in Linux.
Microsoft owns the patent to the Virtual File Allocation Table (VFAT) filesystem variant that allows long as well as short (8.3) filenames. Earlier this year, the Redmond company and TomTom had come to a legal agreement about its use in TomTom's navigation software. To avoid further patent issues, Samba developer Tridgell sent a first patch to the kernel list in May that disabled long filenames in VFAT. Many developers objected because the patch restricted Linux functionality to FAT.
Tridgell's followup patch takes a clever approach and a better chance at a speedy acceptance in the kernel. An option now exists to disable VFAT_FS_DUALNAMES to avoid creating both 8.3 and long filenames, the essential patent issue. Instead, it creates either one or the other but not both, with 8.3 filenames now including invalid characters by Microsoft standards, the clever workaround to make them unidentifiable as FAT files.
A caveat to this solution is a regression in the patch that older non-VFAT DOS systems with Linux long filenames can no longer read these files -- not an issue for most users. Tridgell does, however, warn that enabling the option could have VFAT dual-filename "implications."
How long Microsoft's FAT patents continue to hold is yet undetermined. The Open Invention Network has been steadily looking for prior art evidence from the community to invalidate the patents. In the meantime, Tridgell's patch should provide some security against any further claims.
Issue 230/2020
Buy this issue as a PDF
News
-
Elementary OS 5.1 Has Arrived
One of the most highly regarded Linux desktop distributions has released its next iteration.
-
Linux Mint 19.3 Will be Released by Christmas
The developers behind Linux Mint have announced 19.3 will be released by Christmas 2019.
-
Linux Kernel 5.4 Released
A number of new changes and improvements have reached the Linux kernel.
-
System76 To Design And Build Laptops In-House
In-house designed and built laptops coming from System76.
-
News and views on the GPU revolution in HPC and Big Data:
-
The PinePhone Pre-Order has Arrived
Anyone looking to finally get their hands on an early release of the PinePhone can do so as of November 15.
-
Microsoft Edge Coming to Linux
Microsoft is bringing it’s new Chromium-based Edge browser to Linux.
-
Open Invention Network Backs Gnome Project Against Patent Troll
OIN has deployed its legal team to find prior art.
-
Fedora 31 Released
The latest version of Fedora comes with new packages and libraries.
-
openSUSE OBS Can Now Build Windows WSL Images
openSUSE enables developers to build their own WSL distributions.