What do you think of Microsoft porting exFAT to Linux (kernel)?

I think it's a step in the right direction

I mean why not but who uses exFat?

@12bitfloat Well... Windows users

@Jilano Oh... Yeah, so FAT32 was the DOS filesystem?

@joas Windows 95 IIRC

Thought it was already support, I guess TIL.

I did some research (aka. Wikipedia reading)

It seems that FAT is the most common filesystem for MS-DOS and different versions of it (FAT12, FAT16 and FAT32) are just extensions of each other. exFAT is another extension of FAT and is optimized for flash memory (2006). FAT is made and owned by Microsoft.

exFAT is the only filesystem to store data over 4gb to be able to read and write out of the box on windows, mac and now linux.
So yes I think it's a good thing.
But Microsoft could also open source ntfs or switch to a more modern file system? idk.

They aren't porting exFAT to Linux. What they're doing is legally agreeing not to sue or demand license fees from any company that's a member of the Open Invention Network that uses exFAT in any of the products listed in the Open Invention Network's definition of a Linux System. They are also legally agreeing to let the Linux project include a driver for exFAT in the mainline kernel.

They aren't really opening the format. If you're not affiliated with the Open Invention Network, Microsoft will knock on your door and demand money. If you're a member of the OIN but you use exFAT in a product of yours outside of the OIN's official definition of a Linux system, Microsoft will also demand a license fee from you. And finally, Microsoft has also stated that they won't be the ones contributing the code to the Linux kernel, but only allowing it to happen.

So yes, it's better than nothing and it's something to appreciate, but MS hasn't gone full OSS-friendly yet. Only time will tell.

I don’t think at all. Microshit remain the same.

@ethernetzero Wow, ok. So false news yet again. Thanks for clarifying.

For record, I read it from XDA-developers.

https://xda-developers.com/microsof...

Here's a VentureBeat article with statements from a Microsoft spokesperson:

https://venturebeat.com/2019/08/...

“Microsoft is supporting the addition the exFAT file system to the Linux kernel and the eventual inclusion of a Linux kernel with exFAT support in a future revision of the Open Invention Network’s Linux System Definition,” a Microsoft spokesperson told VentureBeat. “We expect that members of the Linux community will be making a code submission for inclusion of an interoperable and conformant version of the exFAT filesystem in the Linux kernel. Once accepted, the code will benefit from the defensive patent commitments of OIN’s 3040+ members and licensees.”

@ethernetzero If that license thing is true, that's another reason why open source companies and communities shouldn't reside in the USA. In Europe nobody could ever be sued for writing a driver, no matter for what (except weapon systems, but that would be a crime and no patent violence, and only problematic if the code left Europe).
Shit US laws...

Embrace, extend, extinguish.

@ethernetzero The UI is horrible and ads everywhere, that's for sure.

Edit: My machine heated up substantially from visiting the website...

Here's the alleged quotes from a Microsoft's spokesperson that were in that article.

---

“Microsoft is supporting the addition the exFAT file system to the Linux kernel and the eventual inclusion of a Linux kernel with exFAT support in a future revision of the Open Invention Network’s Linux System Definition,” a Microsoft spokesperson told VentureBeat. “We expect that members of the Linux community will be making a code submission for inclusion of an interoperable and conformant version of the exFAT filesystem in the Linux kernel. Once accepted, the code will benefit from the defensive patent commitments of OIN’s 3040+ members and licensees.”

[...] “It’s important to us that the Linux community can make use of exFAT included in the Linux kernel with confidence.”

Here's an article written in October 2018 by a patent attorney that has represented Microsoft in the past, about what's the fine print in Microsoft “opening” their patents. I was trying to find the link yesterday:

https://hackernoon.com/did-microsof...

TL;DR: Microsoft doesn't really “open” their patents; they just grant an unrestricted license to them in very VERY specific terms.