Ouch!

[Ian Malone]

Tim wrote:

 > On Wed, 2006-01-11 at 22:24 +0000, Ian Malone wrote:

 >>> Alternatively they could just revert to 8.3 support for files, it
 >>> wouldn't affect usb key applications as windows is handling the file
 >>> system then (but it's a blow to interoperability, USB keys wouldn't
 >>> work between Win and Mac or Linux).
 >
 >
 > They're just a storage medium, so they use what's put on them.  It's
 > up to the computers using them as to how.  We don't have "FAT" hard
 > drives, CDs, etc.  We simply have drive and discs.

Yes, what I mean is that usb key manufacturers don't need to worry about
licensing, but if you can't use FAT on Mac or Linux then a FAT formatted
key created in Windows is not going to work on them.  (It'll be
interesting to see Apple's response, but I suppose they'll just pay
the fee in the end)

 > So I don't see the further encumbering of FAT making it impossible to
 > use thumbdrives in particular.

It might make them less useful.  Say my Linux box doesn't support FAT
so I format my pen drive to use ext2 and install ext2 drivers on the
Windows machines I use.  I now have the problem that if I need to use
an unknown (almost certainly Win) computer for a presentation I have to
either have another pen drive or use a (friendly) Windows machine to
reformat my current pendrive (which isn't great for them apparently)
and put the data back on.

-- 
imalone