Re: Linux RIP?

[Mitch <sumcoolgai@xxxxxxxxx>]

jim.griffin@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Essential for being able to directly read a Windows FAT formatted disk
> from a linux kernel.    I wouldn't call this insignificant, but I would
> expect it to a major problem either.  Any profitable Linux company
> these days (e.g. Red Hat) charges per seat for the operating system
> these days.  It's a few pennies added to the cost of each seat.
>
> But, this could hurt (but not kill) some of the more community driven
> efforts like CENT.
>


Other than the fact that the "free"/"open" linux systems may not be able
to include FAT (depending on the specifics of packaging due to GPL
issues and on what Microsoft does), I'm not sure what else this will impact.

Do any of the other linux file systems (ext2, ext3, etc.) infringe on
the patent as well?

Since most modern windows systems use NTFS, does NTFS include FAT
patented technology?

If the answers to these questions are "no", then it doesn't seem that
this will make any difference.