Rule through the fear of force rather than through force itself. If we use our strength wisely, we shall cow thousands of worlds with the example of a select few. -Grand Moff Tarkin from“The Tarkin Doctrine”
Apparently a new Linux patch will either create a legacy 8.3 file name when the file name is eight characters or less plus extension -or- a LFN (Long File Name) if the file name exceeds the 8.3 convention, but *never* both.
Apparently the Microsoft patent that TomTom GPS devices apparently infringed on covered the creation of both types of file names for a file with a Long File Name, this new approach should ensure that any version of Windows later than Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2 will still understand long file names on FAT32 volumes as written when mounted by Linux, and fills the “8.3″ filename value with random meaningless data that does not constitute a “file name” in order to avoid hitting the Microsoft patent for having both names at once.
Apparently the patch -also- has to be careful with the junk data in the legacy 8.3 field though or else it could trip a Windows XP bug that could cause a system crash.
The legal theory behind this is that since the garbled data in that field does not constitute a file name, it does not trip over Microsoft’s patent.
Clearly the FAT32 file system is garbage, since its cluster size no longer makes efficient use of the size of storage it is typically used on (SD cards and miniature hard drives with dozens or hundreds of gigabytes), is prone to data corruption issues, and cannot store any individual file that is larger than four gigabytes. This takes a side seat of course to the fact that various bits of its behaviors are controlled by a giant patent troll (Microsoft), but even on sheer technical merit FAT32 is getting awfully long in the tooth.
It’s clear that the Linux Foundation suggestion of device makers coming up with a platform-neutral standard that nobody can sue over is probably the best thing to do going forward.
The fact remains that there are millions on millions of devices which still depend on FAT32, so it’s vital that these patent problems can be worked around.
Microsoft has said that they do not intend to go after individual Linux users, which sounds nice on the surface but would be impractical in practice.
In practice, they are going after device makers that implement FAT32.
In the end this can only have the unintended effect of lighting a fire under the collective ass of GPS and MP3 player makers since they are the ones being extorted, to move on to better technology that does not require anything controlled exclusively by our friends at MICROS~1.
"The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers."
