Re: [patch] Removal of GIF support
"Stephen J. Turnbull" <turnbull(a)sk.tsukuba.ac.jp> writes:
>>>>> "jareth" == P E Jareth Hein
<jareth(a)camelot.co.jp> writes:
jareth> Olivier Galibert <galibert(a)pobox.com> writes:
>> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/gif.html
jareth> UniSys has changed their tune at some point in the
jareth> not-so-distant past. The language RMS quotes about use
jareth> for GIF is no longer part of their documentation on
jareth> GIF/LZW (apparently it disappeared late '96) and current
jareth> legal-flacks deny it ever existed.
I take it that they are attempting to obtain a restraining order
against the LPF for http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/Patents/Gif/unisys.html,
then.
Lawyers usually are smart enough not to lie about these things....
I was not aware of that page, and am troubled by the differences from
whay my researches have turned up. For example, when I contacted
UniSys directly for clarification, Cheryl D. Tartler
<cheryldtartler(a)unn.unisys.com> (the person who responded from the LZW
licencing department) informed me that we needed a licence, and that
"We are unable to provide a free license for your proposed
use/distribution, as it would be unfair to our licensees who pay us
substantial license fees." Also, looking at
http://www.cloanto.com/users/mcb/19950127giflzw.html and
http://corp2.unisys.com/LeadStory/lzwfaq.html might give another view
of the picture. I really would like to get this cleared up, but I
can't afford any legal risks right now, much as I'd like to challenge
the system.
--
Jareth Hein | jareth(a)camelot.co.jp | ハイン ジェラス
Toolsmith & Program lead | http://www.camelot.co.jp | 開発部チーフ
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