On Thursday 15 December 2005 20:40, Gabriel wrote: >Gene Heskett wrote: >>On Thursday 15 December 2005 19:29, Gabriel wrote: >>>Carl Fink wrote: >>>>On Wed, Dec 14, 2005 at 02:34:31PM -0800, Steve Lamb wrote: >>>>> IIRC one of the algorithms that can be used in zip is lzw >>>>> which is (or was) patented. >>>> >>>>The patent expired in 2003. >>>> >>>>http://www.sslug.dk/patent/lzwunisys.html >>> >>>The license was owned by Unisys and IBM. The one expired in 2003 >>> was the Unisys license. The IBM license expires on 08/11/2006 (in >>> the USA). It's the same algorithm used on GIF. >> >>'scuse me? If the unisys patent expired in 2003, then either the >> USTPO screwed up again (what else is new?) in issueing the same >> patent to IBM, or their 'license' is not in fact anything to do >> with a patent, and should be absolutely moot now that the Unisys >> patent has expired, all over the planet I believe. Any legal >> manuevering(sp) should be entirely between IBM & Unisys. And >> likely a waste of time & shyster fees. >> >>If not, and IBM does have a legal claim on the lzw algorythm, please >>cite some links so that we can become better educated. > >OK, I said that 'cause I remind something I red about a year ago. It > was in the GNU Project Page, where they explain why there's no GIFs > on their pages. I just checked and it was last updated on 2005/10/31 > 17:33:26. Check it out: >http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/gif.html
I see, and many thanks for the link. The one thing it doesn't explain however, is why the USTPO allowed 2 different entities to patent the lzw algorythm. That is still a puzzlement to me, but what do I know. -- Cheers, Gene People having trouble with vz bouncing email to me should use this address: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> which bypasses vz's stupid bounce rules. I do use spamassassin too. :-) Yahoo.com and AOL/TW attorneys please note, additions to the above message by Gene Heskett are: Copyright 2005 by Maurice Eugene Heskett, all rights reserved. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
