CW360.com: Can Microsoft Patents Stop Open Source File-Sharing?

"The Common Internet File System (CIFS) protocol, formerly known as Server Message Block (SMB) is the core protocol that the open source Samba tool uses to provide file-sharing with Microsoft networking products.

"Microsoft owns two patents for the CIFS protocol and grants permission to use and exercise these patents in open source software. However, the licensing explicitly excludes any software licensed under the General Public Licence as used by Samba. Giga believes Microsoft is attempting to use legal means to stem the growing adoption of Samba..."

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Related Stories:

• Samba.org: Samba 2.2.5 Released(Jun 20, 2002)
• Samba.org: CIFS, Microsoft, and the Samba Team (Apr 30, 2002)
• Jeremy Allison & Andrew Tridgell: Analysis of the MS Settlement and What It Means for Samba. (Nov 06, 2001)