Gif format??? A liability?

[sera]

I recently heard that if you use .gif images in your website, that you are supposed to pay licensing fees to someone? I guess one question would be...who are we supposed to be paying? And another question would be...IS THIS TRUE?
I have been told that they actually go after large websites that use the format. I have software that actually generates a website (called arcIMS) that uses .gif explicitly for all of its image formats.
Sera
I often believe that...
My computer is possessed!

 

[petey]

I thought that only the people who build .gif image editors had to pay licensing fees. In other words Adobe has to pay licensing fees and the price gets passed on to the web designer when they buy Photoshop.

PNG, anyone?

petey

http://www.drpeterjones.com/

 

[onpnt]

never heard of it and it sounds fairly rediculous _______________________________________________
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for the best results to your questions: FAQ333-2924

http://www.onpntw

 

[moirakris]

Here is an article on the subject

http://cloanto.com/users/mcb/19950127giflzw.html

Quote from the article: "Only the software employing the LZW algorithm for writing GIF files is "at risk". The Unisys patent includes claims which specifically cover the decompression of LZW-compressed material, so it may also affect simple GIF readers. Several patent attorneys consulted on this matter have concluded that decompression-only programs do not infringe upon the Unisys patent. Unisys however does not appear to share this opinion"

Hope this helps
Moira Moira
"Those that stop learning, stop living."

 

[GUJUm0deL]

LOL, next you'll hear that you have to pay W3C if you use .html or .htm extensions...haha I have not failed; I have merely found 100,000 different ways of not succeding...

 

[blueark]

As far as I remember, the LZW algorithm was patented many years ago, but they never really enforced it. Eventually, long after the GIF format became popular, they decided to catch up, but only the software vendors actually have to pay royalties.

 

[sera]

Well, I have done quite a bit of research on this since I posted and it looks like you are all right.
Here is the license straight from the horses mouth:

http://www.unisys.com/about__unisys/lzw/index.htm

Also just a side note...the patent is set to expire this year. Wonder what will happen then?
Sera
I often believe that...
My computer is possessed!

 

[petey]

GUJUm0deL, that's funny you mentioned that. A w3c proposal was recently squashed (after sharp outcry from the community) that would have allowed w3c recommendations to incorporate royalty-bearing patents:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/21991.html

petey

http://www.drpeterjones.com/

 

[GUJUm0deL]

Well, i'll be a monkey's uncle...they'll do anything to make money nowadays... I have not failed; I have merely found 100,000 different ways of not succeding...