On Sunday, 9 Sep 2001, David Odin wrote:
> I've two question about this plugin:
> - why gifload and gif are kept separated, when, for most image
> formats, the loader and the saver is in the same plugin?
Patent reasons: you need a Unisys LZW compression patent licence in
order to use the gif save plugin, whereas gifloader doesn't need you
to have a patent licence. Since most people don't have an LZW
compression licence they aren't allowed to use the saver but everyone
is allowed to use the loader. Hence they are separate plugins so you
can choose to install both if you possess a licence, but only the
loader if you don't.
Of course, we can't stop you using the saver gif plugin illegally (ie
without a licence), but then that's your own problem, not ours.
> - the code of gif.c looks unmaintained, and rather dirty (lots of
> code commented out, define for "FACEHUGGERS", no real copyright
> notice, etc.) Who is the current maintainer?
It is maintained (and fairly regularly), by Adam Moss.
Austin
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