.GIF image format is now patent free

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.GIF image format is now patent free

09-30-2006, 08:54 AM,

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Kristijntje Offline

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.GIF image format is now patent free

Quote:I am sure a lot of you remember the great "GIF fiasco": more than a decade ago, Unisys decided to make money out of the most used image file format on the Internet: the GIF format. To be more precise, Unisys announced that they would go after developers of programs able to load and save GIF files (never mind the fact that even back then there was plenty of free software which wouldn't have been able to pay).

To make the short story shorter, the PNG file was invented as a reaction to Unisys' move; although it was never wildly successful, PNG did manage to make Unisys's threat very much irrelevant. Unisys took their time, but eventually realised that if they had seriously sued people over the GIF patent, the days of the GIF format would be over...

full article: http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/node/1772

Al draagt een aap een gouden ring, het is en blijft een lelijk ding

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