How Motorola used one of Linus Torvalds’ old Usenet posts to prove prior art in a patent fight

This is ridiculously nerdy on so many levels, but also really fascinating. Basically, Microsoft has been going after Android manufacturers using a patent they have on storing long file names in file systems that are designed for short file names. But, because the Internet never forgets, Motorola found a Usenet post that Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux, wrote on the subject back in 1992 and used that to prove prior art.

Anyway, here’s the Wired article, and here’s the original Usenet discussion from comp.os.minix, they make for fascinating reading.

Published by Kathryn Brightbill

I was born at a very young age.

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