Andrew Tridgell has published a patch that could make the Linux implementation of the FAT filesystem impervious to Microsoft patent claims of the kind that forced a settlement from TomTom. The patch alters the VFAT code so that it does not generate both short and long filenames.

Supporters of Mono answer questions that are not even asked — a pattern which requires simple clarification

The prophecy of Novell's Miguel de Icaza is becoming true: GNOME 3.0 may have more Mono apps

The next major version of the GNOME desktop environment, version 3.0, may contain more than the one Mono-dependent application than it currently does, according to GNOME Foundation member Dave Neary.

Andrew Tridgell has posted a new patch intended to enable the kernel to work around the VFAT patents. Unlike the previous version, this patch preserves the long filename functionality.

Should FOSS users be concerned about the software they use, in case it opens them up to copyright, trademark or patent claims? Or should such concerns be left exclusively to developers?

On June 7, 2009, Swedish voters elected a member of the PiratPartiet (Pirate Party) to the European Parliament.
The Pirates made the copyright and patent concerns of the free software community part of public discourse for the first time anywhere, and did so using social media techniques that caught their opponents completely unaware.

Jo Shields writes well and this is a well written piece that articulates the position of a software developer who clearly likes what Mono has to offer. What strikes me with these posts is how technical and abstract the position of the developer is.