#GIF development
7 messages in this thread
— Forwarded Message —
#: 134624 S2/Official Bulletins [SKETCH]
31-Dec-94 08:11:37
Sb: Important Developer News
Fm: Larry Wood [GRAPHICS] 76703,704
To: All
All Sysops,
The following has been announced by CompuServe, through The Graphics Support
Forum (GO GRAPHSUP). Please point all programmers to GRAPHSUP for details:
COMPUSERVE ANNOUNCES GIF DEVELOPER LICENSE PROGRAM
On May 28th, 1987, CompuServe introduced the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF)
specification, subsequently revising the specification on August 8, 1990. Since
that time, CompuServe has worked extensively with developers to license GIF and
make it the worldwide graphics standard that it currently is. GIF uses LZW
compression and decompression methods that CompuServe originally thought to be
public domain. However, Unisys Corporation claims patent rights to the LZW
algorithm and compression process. This has caused some confusion as to whether
developers need to license LZW from Unisys.
CompuServe recently negotiated and secured a patent license for LZW technology
from Unisys. Through this license, CompuServe is able to provide a sub-license
to GIF developers. This CompuServe GIF license agreement grants the developer
lawful use of GIF and the LZW algorithm for certain uses. This relieves
licensees from the obligation to license LZW directly from Unisys and extends
to them other benefits of the terms negotiated by CompuServe. The CompuServe
GIF license is based upon terms established with Unisys by CompuServe. This
includes a requirement that the developer's software be used primarily with the
CompuServe Information Service or use information obtained through the
CompuServe Information Service. This license is subject to a reasonable
royalty.
GIF developers who register prior to January 10, 1995 can obtain the benefit of
a clause in the CompuServe-Unisys agreement that states that Unisys will not
pursue royalty claims for past use of LZW. The CompuServe GIF developer
agreement, including compliance requirements, is available on the CompuServe
Information Service in the Standards and Spec's section of the Graphics Support
Forum. A new specification will be finalized which will become a part of the
license agreement.
Additional information and hard copies of the agreement can be obtained by
contacting Larry Wood of Go Graphics at CIS ID# 76703,704, or by phone at
407-658-2687. Also, please review AGREE.TXT in the Standards and Specs library
(#16) for further information.
***
Regards,
Larry
'Go Graphics'
What is Autodesk going to do?
Will GIF support be pulled from Animator and other products? Or will you fight
UNISYS, or ignore them, or pay them?
Autodesk has not made any statements regarding this announcement.
Personally, I don't see this affecting the end user at all, but if it does,
Autodesk will make a formal statement sometime in the future.
-Brian
I find it precarious that anyone could patent the GIF format, given that so
many shareware and freeware applications have been developed which make use of
the format.
If a _new_ format specification is being developed, how can the _old_ format be
copyrighted for royalty? Besides, I can't imagine anyone trying to prosecute
the developers of all those little (and big) apps.
Does this mean my copies of DTA and Alchemy are no good?
— James E. Coulter —
James,
CompuServe developed the GIF format and made it kinda like public domain while
holding the copywrite for it. If you really read the announcement, UNISYS isn't
claming the rights to GIF, but to the compression routine used within it.
All answers to this question should really be taken to the GRAPHSUPORT forums
as they are equipt to handle the issues involved. So far we don't have the
faintest idea what's going to happen or when.
Those were mostly rhetorical questions. I'm sure when it affects me, I'll hear
about it. Thanks for posting the notice here on ASOFT, and keeping us notified
of news.
— James E. Coulter —
James,
>> I find it precarious that anyone could patent the GIF format, given that so
many shareware and freeware applications have been developed which make use of
the format.
Actually it's the LZW compression method that has a patent. Unisys has had the
patent for a long time, but never before tried to use it to get money out of
GIF developers.
>> Does this mean my copies of DTA and Alchemy are no good?
I can't speak about Alchemy, but I can about DTA. I intend to upload a new
GIF-less DTA sometime before the Jan 10 deadline. I don't know whether or not
I'll sign any licensing agreement with Compuserve/Unisys though.
There's a huge discussion (flame war, really) about this topic over in the
GRAPHSUP forum. It's very fun reading.
–dkm