In a move likely to appeal to the open source community, Microsoft announced the availability of its exFAT patents under Linux and Open Source through the Open Invention Network (OIN).
After years of using its patents to take advantage of open source products, the software giant has changed their hearts and the company created 60,000 of its own open source patents last year. Now Microsoft is pursuing its open source push by admitting the addition of its exFAT patents to the Linux kernel.
ExFAT is based on the file system architecture of the File Allocation Table (FAT), one of the first file systems used on floppy disks. FAT later became Microsoft's file system for MS-DOS, Windows, and many other applications. The company created exFAT to extend FAT technology to flash storage devices, including USB drives and SD cards, in 2006.
ExFAT patents
In a blog post, John Gossman, a distinguished Microsoft engineer and board member of the Linux Foundation, explained why the company had decided to integrate exFAT to Linux, explaining:
"It is important to us that the Linux community can confidently use the exFAT included in the Linux kernel. To this end, we will publish Microsoft's technical specifications for exFAT to facilitate the development of compatible and interoperable implementations. We also support possible inclusion of a Linux kernel that supports exFAT in a future revision of the Open Invention Linux system definition where, once accepted, the code will benefit from the 3040 defensive patent commitments. ISO Members and Licensees. "
With the release of the next edition of the Linux system definition in Q2020 XNUMX, any ISO member will be able to use exFAT without paying a patent fee. Membership in the open source patent protection consortium is also free for companies who want to share their patents with others, whether they have a patent or not.
Through ZDNet