How Linus Torvalds Helped Bust a Microsoft Patent 103
New submitter inhuman_4 passes along this quote from an article at Wired:
"Last December, Microsoft scored a victory when the ITC Administrative Law Judge Theodore R. Essex found that Motorola had violated four Microsoft patents. But the ruling could also eliminate an important Microsoft software patent that has been invoked in lawsuits against Barnes & Noble and car navigation device-maker Tom Tom. According to Linus Torvalds, he was deposed in the case this past fall, and apparently his testimony about a 20-year-old technical discussion — along with a discussion group posting made by an Amiga fan, known only as Natuerlich! — helped convince the Administrative Law Judge that the patent was invalid."
Atari ST & Amiga (Score:1, Informative)
Oh, c'mon don't try to start old flamewar. Atari ST is not Amiga...
Re:Does it mean the FAT longnames patent is dead? (Score:4, Informative)
That's what I would like to know! It was unfortunately upheld in Germany, citing that it takes effort to come up with technical software solutions (i.e. having ideas is hard), that's why there should be software patents. Perhaps I remember incorrectly [arstechnica.com].
Re:Does it mean the FAT longnames patent is dead? (Score:3, Informative)
Except that in the light of the discussion submitted by Linus Torvalds, the exact way Microsoft is using for long fat names was done BEFORE Microsoft even thought about it...
In case of a retrial in Germany, this will be brought on the table and the patent will also be invalidated there (well, IANAL but it's common sense).
Looks like that stupid patent is dead...
Re:Atari ST & Amiga (Score:2, Informative)
ummm lets see every Amiga after the 1000/500 ie 1500-3000 and even the 500 with a conversion could boot from a hard drive.