Apple shuts down ZFS open source project

I’m disappointed about this, as I expect are others on AFB. It’s presumably because Netapp are asserting patents and Apple believes them to be watertight. And Oracle (Sun’s new owner) doesn’t care about ZFS. That’s the stupid US patent system for you.

I was well aware of the beautiful “copy-on-write tree of blocks” approach, which is applicable both to files systems and databases, at least ten years before NetApp was founded. It delivers snapshots and instant crash restart effortlessly. How a patent system can block the use of a simple (and powerful) idea already well known and obvious to “practicioners” is beyond me. It’s as absurd as Amazon’s patent on one-click buying.

sleepygeek - 25 October 2009 08:48 AM

Apple shuts down ZFS open source project

I’m disappointed about this, as I expect are others on AFB.

Yes, I am not happy about this but Gruber was suggesting that Apple have bitten the bullet and are developing a new file system from scratch - there are ads up at Apple which seem to confirm this.

I’m a bit disappointed too. But I suspect a new file system is on the way. Apple is quick to abandon technologies that have reduced prospects for adoption and perhaps for good reason. Sun is gone and Oracle will make use of only what it needs.