Understanding exFAT issues
Freedom of Choice
© Lead Image © Galina Peshkova, 123RF.com
Just because you have two solutions for using exFAT doesn't necessarily mean you should use either one of them. We examine some of the issues – legal and technical – surrounding this Microsoft filesystem.
Sooner or later, the Linux operating system usually manages to support proprietary technology. However, the effort required frequently extends beyond the technical to include copyright and patent issues. A case in point is Microsoft's exFAT filesystem [1], which now has two free-licensed solutions – although whether you want to use them depends on what jurisdiction you are in and how likely you think it might be that you could be sued for patent violation.
exFAT is a filesystem designed for external and embedded devices. Basically, exFAT is intended as a replacement for FAT32, which has become the filesystem of choice for devices that need to communicate with a variety of operating systems, but whose disk and file size limitations are increasingly unsuitable for modern purposes. exFAT is designed to remove such limitations for the foreseeable future, supporting a recommended 512TB disk size, compared with the 2TB limit for a FAT32 partition with a sector size of 512 bytes, and a file size of 16 exabytes (16EB; 32x260 bytes) compared with the 4GB limit for FAT32.
Additionally, the latest version of exFAT uses free-space bitmaps [2] for allocating sectors, which reduces fragmentation. It also includes optional UTC time stamps and OEM-definable parameters. Releases of exFAT are often informally referred to by reference to the Windows releases with which they coincide, so developers might refer to exFAT Vista or XP.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Kali Linux Waxes Nostalgic with BackTrack Mode
For those who've used Kali Linux since its inception, the changes with the new release are sure to put a smile on your face.
-
Gnome 50 Smooths Out NVIDIA GPU Issues
Gamers rejoice, your favorite pastime just got better with Gnome 50 and NVIDIA GPUs.
-
System76 Retools Thelio Desktop
The new Thelio Mira has landed with improved performance, repairability, and front-facing ports alongside a high-quality tempered glass facade.
-
Some Linux Distros Skirt Age Verification Laws
After California introduced an age verification law recently, open source operating system developers have had to get creative with how they deal with it.
-
UN Creates Open Source Portal
In a quest to strengthen open source collaboration, the United Nations Office of Information and Communications Technology has created a new portal.
-
Latest Linux Kernel RC Contains Changes Galore
Linux kernel 7.0-rc3 includes more changes than have been made in a single release in recent history.
-
Nitrux 6.0 Now Ready to Rock Your World
The latest iteration of the Debian-based distribution includes all kinds of newness.
-
Linux Foundation Reports that Open Source Delivers Better ROI
In a report that may surprise no one in the Linux community, the Linux Foundation found that businesses are finding a 5X return on investment with open source software.
-
Keep Android Open
Google has announced that, soon, anyone looking to develop Android apps will have to first register centrally with Google.
-
Kernel 7.0 Now in Testing
Linus Torvalds has announced the first Release Candidate (RC) for the 7.x kernel is available for those who want to test it.