NTFS driver (was: ReactOS GPL vs. proprietary drivers)

[Jan Kratochvil]

Hi,

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 11:47:48 +0200, Szakacsits Szabolcs wrote:
...
> The goal of the Linux-NTFS project is the provide completely open source
> code to access, manage NTFS filesystems, not only r/w access whatever way.
> It's a big difference.

I respect your Free software approach, I'm a big Free software advocate.
I consider NTFS problem a special case.

My solution gives a bridge to people who grew up on or are forced to use MS
Windows (like employees in the office) to GNU/Linux environment. These people
run proprietary SW already and with my solution they've got a way out.

Using original ntfs.sys can give just better compatibility than any other 3rd
party GPLed reimplementation could ever have.

NTFS has no meaning as a standalone filesystem - there are better GPL high
performance mature filesystems such as ext3. NTFS for GNU/Linux OS has its only
meaning as a temporary compatibility hack.


> There is already a full r/w driver for Linux by Paragon for a while -
> although it costs money but it doesn't have legal threats.

Paragon http://www.ntfs-linux.com/ really supports r/w NTFS for GNU/Linux
(thanks for reference) but it is a commercial closed-source (*) product and it
is even an IMO dangerous way to modify your NTFS drives due to the
reverse-engineering disadvantages described above.

(*) By running any closed-source software on your GNU/Linux OS you completely
    loose your system security. Although it is already lost for dualbooting
    machines the security sandboxing feature of Captive NTFS may get handy for
    GNU/Linux sysadmins needing to repair NTFS disk drives.

Besides using the original NTFS driver Captive NTFS further ensures the disk
safety by commiting any disk modifications only after the successful unmount of
the modified disk by its emulated MS-Windows kernel subsystem.

...
> But I could imagine one isn't allowed to use ntfs.sys, ntoskrnl.exe the way
> he/she wants legally.

Applicable laws vary in different countries - legal analysis for major
countries would be welcome. I have an affirmation of the professional IT lawyer
JUDr. Jiri Cermak Captive NTFS is legally valid at least in my home country.


Regards,
Lace

-- 
Jan Kratochvil; http://www.jankratochvil.net/