WTF: Microsoft's FAT charges

[GTaudiophile]

Microsoft will soon be charging manufacturers of flash memory card devices and those which use them $0.25 per unit or up to $250,000 to use the FAT filesystem. For those who are unaware the FAT file system was developed by Microsoft back in 1976 and has become the standard file system for all digital still cameras. Microsoft owns patents to the FAT File System but for many years hasn't even hinted that it may one day decide to charge for it. These new licenses appear to come into effect immediately and specifically make mention of 'compact flash memory cards' and 'portable digital still cameras'. What a great way for Microsoft to cash in on the most popular consumer products (as if they don't make enough money already).

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Thanks, M$, for making my hobby EVEN more expensive!

 

[imported_Swami]

can you really blame them? the waltons are gaining on gates.

 

[screw3d]

Phil: Surely flash memory manufacturers can get around this by simply not pre-formatting cards?

I hope this is true!

Dasm MS :|

 

[JetBlack69]

Originally posted by: screw3d
Dasm MS :|

 

[selene]

they havent had great quarters, so what they're doing is necessary... but its evil. so evil..

 

[Sid59]

hey if you had patents, you'd want to cash in too.

 

[TerryMathews]

It's not so much FAT as it is VFAT or the implementation of utilizing long file names on file systems that do not natively support them (Microso~1 in place of Microsoft).

 

[selene]

They'll cash in with MP3 players too... or pretty much any flash memory..

 

[Looney]

Well, a quarter a unit isn't that expensive...

That being said, it's just a file system. I'm sure if it comes down to it, hopefully the industry will unite and come up/agree on another standard.

 

[mmnatas]

A friend of mine and I were speculating that this is also a tactic by Microsoft to attempt to (slightly) slow down the spread of Linux. The kernel and therefore just about every distro boasts some level of data interoperability between M$'s file formats, by making it cost money to have this support, they effectively make it illegal for Linux to provide this support for free.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: mmnatas
A friend of mine and I were speculating that this is also a tactic by Microsoft to attempt to (slightly) slow down the spread of Linux. The kernel and therefore just about every distro boasts some level of data interoperability between M$'s file formats, by making it cost money to have this support, they effectively make it illegal for Linux to provide this support for free.

Do you and your friend ever watch movies? Or make out? Or is it all Linux?

 

[TerryMathews]

Originally posted by: mmnatas
A friend of mine and I were speculating that this is also a tactic by Microsoft to attempt to (slightly) slow down the spread of Linux. The kernel and therefore just about every distro boasts some level of data interoperability between M$'s file formats, by making it cost money to have this support, they effectively make it illegal for Linux to provide this support for free.

Or Linux can just drop support for long file names on FAT filesystems...

 

[davidrees]

Newsflash kiddies:

Microsoft is a BUSINESS. Business does not exist to make you happy, they exist to make money for their stock holders.

If MS owns the patent and the flash makers are using the patented property, then guess what - they gotta pay!

It is not about "having enough money". Nobody ever has enough money - ever - not Bill Gates - not even if he has 500 Billion Dollars - he has the right to try and make more.

They should be complaining about all the cheap bums who won't pay a quarter for a technology that is integral to a hobby they enjoy.

 

[Amused]

More power to MS. It's their Patent, they should profit from it. Why would you think they would be altruistic? If YOU owned the patent for FAT, wouldn't YOU cash in???

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: davidrees
Newsflash kiddies:

Microsoft is a BUSINESS. Business does not exist to make you happy, they exist to make money for their stock holders.

If MS owns the patent and the flash makers are using the patented property, then guess what - they gotta pay!

It is not about "having enough money". Nobody ever has enough money - ever - not Bill Gates - not even if he has 500 Billion Dollars - he has the right to try and make more.

They should be complaining about all the cheap bums who won't pay a quarter for a technology that is integral to a hobby they enjoy.

But rambus did this as well, and they got crucified

Quit making so much sense!

 

[davidrees]

If Rambus had been smart, they would have let their tech get popular THEN called in the royalties.

Further - maybe there will be such a revolt that MS will actually lose money. No matter - this is their call and the market then responds - that is their call.

If you don't want to pay, just don't use the tech - why is that hard?

 

[Mitzi]

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: mmnatas
A friend of mine and I were speculating that this is also a tactic by Microsoft to attempt to (slightly) slow down the spread of Linux. The kernel and therefore just about every distro boasts some level of data interoperability between M$'s file formats, by making it cost money to have this support, they effectively make it illegal for Linux to provide this support for free.

Do you and your friend ever watch movies? Or make out? Or is it all Linux?

mmnatas raised an interesting point, WTF was your reply all about? Troll.

 

[beatle]

I think it's a cheap shot because it is already an established standard. It's not like Microsoft is proposing a new filesystem for CF cards and wants to charge for it. It has been "free" up until this point where they want to cash in on everyone's reliance on this format. That's why people are grumbling. I'm sure people will grumble as well when Valve starts charging people to use STEAM someday.

 

[rbV5]

Just how long does a patent last anyway? 1976 was 27 years ago.

 

[IPLaw]

Patents last 20 years from the date of filing.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: beatle
I think it's a cheap shot because it is already an established standard. It's not like Microsoft is proposing a new filesystem for CF cards and wants to charge for it. It has been "free" up until this point where they want to cash in on everyone's reliance on this format. That's why people are grumbling. I'm sure people will grumble as well when Valve starts charging people to use STEAM someday.

Just wait, pretty soon that Madonion article will come true, and Microsoft will want royalties on anything that uses 1s and 0s.

 

[StraightPipe]

does this cover all FAT formats? 32 and 16?

does anyone know if this is going to have any real impact (i dont consider a $.25 increase an impact)

 

[PaperclipGod]

Originally posted by: davidrees
Newsflash kiddies:

Microsoft is a BUSINESS. Business does not exist to make you happy, they exist to make money for their stock holders.

If MS owns the patent and the flash makers are using the patented property, then guess what - they gotta pay!

It is not about "having enough money". Nobody ever has enough money - ever - not Bill Gates - not even if he has 500 Billion Dollars - he has the right to try and make more.

They should be complaining about all the cheap bums who won't pay a quarter for a technology that is integral to a hobby they enjoy.