GIF is not free anyome...

[SensoVision]

U.S. LZW patent has expired on June 20, 2003... now GIFs which was a popular format of compressing images for the web not free anymore... UNISyS want $5000 from web site using images compressed in GIFs  

There is another format of data compressing is available it's PNG... you can find more info abou it here - http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/
There also web sites which oppose to GIF patents... here is one of them - http://burnallgifs.org/

[ched]

UNISYS won't be able to go after money "after the fact" I don't think.  The only thing they can probably do at this point, is further develop the technology, and get the $$$ from folks who use 'gif' technology as part of their graphics software.

IMHO

[Queen Bee]

I don't think it's as bad as it looks..

Since most of this commercially available software is under license from Unisys for their use of the LZW patent, users of this software are probably covered as well for this use of GIF images on their Web sites.[/u]

As far as that goes, all of the image software products I use are either made by Macromedia, Adobe, or Corel. I'm certain all three of them have licenses to use GIFs.

The new one-time license fee is intended for those Web site operators who are concerned that they may not be covered by another license.

In other words, it's for the paranoids. If someone's really worried about using unlicensed software, Unisys will gladly accept mercy payments.

Let them spell it out even clearer:

If you use any of the types of images specified above on your Web site that you received from an unlicensed software developer or service, you should have a license from Unisys to use the LZW patent.

I'm pretty sure we're safe, and I don't believe they can force any particular user to pay for using GIFs, nor can they prove any of us are using unlicensed software.

[SensoVision]

yeah we're not under big threat especially there is always PNG which we may start to use anytime...
but they make it not possible to use GIF in free programs or in GD Library which is popular thing other the web... I believe it's not fair... of course they should get some money from developing technology but why not make this money on big software companies ?

[susieq]

Ohhhhhhhhhh,
now I will have to learn how to properly use the 'gif' programme I have which is tacked on my present version of Paint Shop Pro 7

[ched]

Ohhhhhhhhhh,
now I will have to learn how to properly use the 'gif' programme I have which is tacked on my present version of Paint Shop Pro 7

ain't that "transparent" part of it a real pain in da but?  They really should make that a little easier.

[susieq]

A bigger pain in a higher place (like the neck), is 'changing the background colour' and 'colour 'change'
But all these things are sent to try us or should I say, 'it all comes out in the wash'!