[ros-dev] Cache / Memory Manager / FileSystemDrivers

[Aleksey Bragin]

It might be possible to reuse parts of existing vfat driver routines  
(which there is no doubt about correctness).

Anyone objects to such approach (a real *rewrite* of a driver, not  
just porting WDK's fastfat sample)? If noone, I consider this a way  
to go.


WBR,
Aleksey.

On Jan 7, 2009, at 11:13 PM, Alex Ionescu wrote:

> You need to rewrite it to fulfill all the licensing requirements.
>
> Many things in FASTFAT aren't needed for us yet, so in theory  
> (IANAL), even stripping out those parts and keeping the rest of the  
> driver intact would be ok -- based on my knowledge that copyright  
> law states that you need to copy > 70% for it to be considered "the  
> same work", anything less than that and it's okay (again, IANAL).
>
> So my opinion (IANAL!!!) is that if you use the WDK FASTFAT driver  
> as a reference source, and write (on your own, not copy pasting)  
> the same interfaces/function names/data types/structures (which  
> are, by definition, not copyrightable), and then write your own  
> code (use a different layout, optimize the functions, use other  
> variables/similar code logic, etc) and additionally, only  
> implement, for now, say half the driver, you'd be 100% legal, at  
> least in the US and other countries that signed the WIPO I think  
> it's called.
>
> Best regards,
> Alex Ionescu
>