I ran across this curious squib on one of the embedded development
sites:
"Important: FAT file system is owned by Microsoft and must be
licensed from them if you intend to sell a product that uses it.
More information can be found on Microsoft's web site."
Is this really true? There's so much (public domain) prior art to
the FAT filesystem that I find it hard to believe that it would be
patentable.
--Chuck
Is this really true? There's so much (public
domain) prior art to the
FAT filesystem that I find it hard to believe that it would be
patentable.
Yes, it's true, they are trying to enforce "rights" after years of not
enforcing anything. They appear to have gone to great lengths to
fabricate some technical claims they hope will generate enough argument
to get companies to pay up rather than fight.
This presumably explains some of their recent filesystem activity --
what's the new one called? Can't find the thing where I first saw it
now.
De
Is this really true? There's so much (public
domain) prior art to
the FAT filesystem that I find it hard to believe that it would be
patentable.
It's not, but that never stopped them from trying or the USPTO from
blindly granting them.
g.
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