On Thu, 21 Oct 2010 07:22:46 -0700 (PDT), mc41mc wrote > I refused to read this, as there were .gif images on the page. > As I'm sure you are aware, the .gif format is proprietary, and I > see no evidence that the proper licencing fees have been paid to Unisys.
Nonsense! The GIF format is not and never was proprietary. The gif format specification was released by CompuServe as a free and open specification in 1987. As a CompuServe spokesperson put it "Recent discussions of GIF taxes and fees are totally without merit. For people who view GIF images, who keep GIF images on servers, or who are creating GIF images for distribution, the recent licensing discussions have no effect on their activities." You are confusing this with the copyright on the LZW compression algorhythm that gif uses. But fear not: that patent ran out in June 2004. RalfD To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
