MESSAGE
| DATE | 2003-12-08 |
| FROM | Mike Richardson - NYLXS PRESIDENT
|
| SUBJECT | Subject: [hangout] part 6 or 7 Re: [DMCA_Discuss] Microsoft to start charging for FAT
|
On Mon, 8 Dec 2003, Larry Blunk wrote:
>
> --- "Matthew T. Russotto" wrote:
> >
> > On Friday, December 5, 2003, at 01:03 AM, Jon O. wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > http://www.dpreview.com/news/0312/03120403microsoftisfat.asp
> > >
> > > Microsoft will soon be charging manufacturers of flash memory card
> > > devices and those which use them $0.25 per unit or up to $250,000 to
> > > use the FAT filesystem. For those who are unaware the FAT file system
> > > was developed by Microsoft back in 1976 and has become the standard
> > > file system for all digital still cameras. Microsoft owns patents to
> > > the FAT File System but for many years hasn't even hinted that it may
> > > one day decide to charge for it. These new licenses appear to come
> > > into effect immediately and specifically make mention of 'compact
> > > flash memory cards' and 'portable digital still cameras'. What a great
> > > way for Microsoft to cash in on the most popular consumer products (as
> > > if they don't make enough money already).
> > >
> > > Phil: Surely flash memory manufacturers can get around this by simply
> > > not pre-formatting cards?
> >
> > It's not even that hard. Even if these patents have validity and
> > applicability (something I doubt), all they'd need to do is make one
> > FAT image using a legal program -- such as Windows itself -- and then
> > block-copy that image onto their cards. Or even use a Windows machine
> > to format each of their cards. Even Microsoft can't get away with the
> > claim that the output of a patented device is itself covered by the
> > patent.
> >
> > Most digital cameras use 8.3 filenames, and wouldn't be affected by the
> > patents MS has revealed (though they darkly hint at others in process)
> >
>
> Yes, but any patents in process can't cover something invented over
> a decade ago. I did some investigation on this matter and it turns out
> that flash-card makers use either the FAT12 filesystem (if the flash-card is
> under 16MB) or FAT16 (which supports flash-cards up to 2GB). FAT12 was
> created in 1976 and FAT16 was last significantly updated in 1987 (FAT16
> originally only supported drives up to 32MB, DOS 4.0 extended it to support
> drives up to 2GB). So the flash-card makers are using formats defined
> over 16 years ago.
>
> There are apparently a few flash-card manufacturers that
> are introducing 4GB flash-cards. These cards need to use FAT32 since
> they are too large for FAT16 to support. FAT32 was introduced in 1996
> in Windows 95 OSR2 to support drives up to 2 terabytes. Note that many
> digital cameras do not yet support FAT32.
>
> The long filename support introduced in Windows 95 (and subject to
> the Microsoft patents) is independent of
> the underlying FAT filesystem (whether FAT12, FAT16, or FAT32).
>
>
>
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