Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2025 20:29:36 +0100 From: Robert Clausecker <fuz@freebsd.org> To: Mark Millard <marklmi@yahoo.com> Cc: fuz@freebsd.org, freebsd-fs@freebsd.org Subject: Re: exfat driver as a gsoc project: mentors wanted Message-ID: <Z46kIBZrUMov408S@fuz.su> In-Reply-To: <86B4B4D0-2B25-4632-B9BE-AE65633AE165@yahoo.com> References: <86B4B4D0-2B25-4632-B9BE-AE65633AE165.ref@yahoo.com> <86B4B4D0-2B25-4632-B9BE-AE65633AE165@yahoo.com>
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Hi Mark, Am Mon, Jan 20, 2025 at 11:06:39AM -0800 schrieb Mark Millard: > Robert Clausecker <fuz_at_freebsd.org> wrote on > Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2025 17:17:40 UTC : > > > With ExFAT being a common file system on external storage devices > > and the patent situation being less bad than a few years ago, > > Did I miss a status change? I do know that: > > https://patents.google.com/patent/US20090164440?oq=US2009164440 > > reports: 2027-03-09 Adjusted expiration > > But, other than that: > > https://opensource.microsoft.com/blog/2019/08/28/exfat-linux-kernel/ > > reported: > > QUOTE > We also support the eventual inclusion of a Linux kernel with exFAT support in a future revision of the Open Invention Network’s Linux System Definition, where, once accepted, the code will benefit from the defensive patent commitments of OIN’s 3040+ members and licensees. > END QUOTE > > Quoting https://openinventionnetwork.com/# : > > QUOTE > OIN is the largest patent non-aggression community in history. Together, we support freedom of action in Linux as a key element of Open Source & help members reduce patent risks. > END QUOTE > > So, apparently: Very specific to Linux as a context. > > To my knowledge FreeBSD is not and can not be a member of the > Open Invention Network in order to get FreeBSD itself covered. No, you did not miss anything. However, if Microsoft has given the patent to an open source patent pool, it seems likely that we can join said pool. > I'm less sure relative to the means of running Linux code in > a booted FreeBSD. May be a OIN membership could cover that > for exFAT and more? (No clue.) Yes, exactly that's what we should evaluate. > > it > > seems interesting to have a native ExFAT driver. > > > > The driver could be maintained out-of-tree and hosted in Europe > > (where the software patents are not enforceable) until we can > > merge it. > > May be the above is an implicit reference to the "2027-03-09 > Adjusted expiration"? No, though 2027 is only two years away, so if we cannot join the OIN, we only have to keep the driver out-of-tree for that long worst case. As for “hosted in Europe:” Europe does not have software patents, so we can basically ignore the ExFAT patents if development is done in Europe independently of any US entity. Yours, Robert Clausecker -- () ascii ribbon campaign - for an encoding-agnostic world /\ - against html email - against proprietary attachments
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