Talk:Microsoft FAT patents

Merge?

Why not merge this with the article on FAT? Hoary 07:40, 2005 Jan 4 (UTC)

Sure go ahead. Aberglas 11:09, 4 Jan 2005 (UTC) aberglas

long filenames

As I understand the linked articles, the patent had nothing to do with long filenames; I've therefore deleted mention of these. I may have been wrong to do this. Hoary 07:40, 2005 Jan 4 (UTC)

FAT was developed in the 1970s/early 80s, long before software patents and in any case more than 20 years ago. My understanding from discussions groups is that it was actually the long file names that were patented. This caused me confusion when I first came accros this patent, so I've put it back. If you are sure that I am wrong then please remove it but then please do explain what was patented.. Aberglas 11:09, 4 Jan 2005 (UTC) aberglas.

You know more than I do about this then. I merely followed the links attached to the article by its original author, and saw that these made no mention of long filenames. (Gratuitously irrelevant comment: isn't Micro$oft a wonderful company? I'd have thought that they'd be rolling in enough money by now, but of course I'd be wrong. Me, I'm using ReiserFS where possible.) Hoary 13:36, 2005 Jan 4 (UTC)