ZFS: The Greatest Filesystem Ever Made (And Why It’s a Legal Minefield)
Introduction
Once upon a time, SUN Microsystems—my former employer—released what I still consider the greatest filesystem ever made: ZFS. It’s nothing short of a technological marvel. ZFS prevents file rot, handles bit shifting like a champ, and features like raidz and raidz2 are so brilliant they make me want to shout from the rooftops. I want to tell everyone—yes, even your grandmother—about its wonders.
But There’s a Catch
Of course, there’s always a “but.” ZFS wasn’t released under a permissive license like GPL, MIT, or Public Domain. Instead, SUN chose its own open-source license, which effectively banned forking and kept SUN as the sole owner.
The Plot Thickens
SUN later retracted ZFS from the open-source world. Fast forward to today, and Oracle now owns ZFS (along with the rest of SUN’s legacy). For better or worse? Absolutely for the worse. Oracle isn’t exactly known for nurturing SUN’s products—Solaris, for instance, is on life support.
The Legal Quagmire
Integrating ZFS into the Linux kernel and distributing it could expose Linux to litigation. And let’s be honest: Oracle loves litigation. That’s why Linus Torvalds and others are wary of including ZFS in the Linux kernel.
Conclusion
ZFS is a masterpiece, but its licensing history is a cautionary tale. It’s a reminder that even the best technology can be held hostage by legal and corporate decisions.
(Inspired from the words of Trausti Thor Johannsson on Quora)