Re: GIMP for Web sites

From: Ayaz Ahmed Khan (resilient_at_myrealbox.com)
Date: 07/27/04

  • Next message: Andy Helliwell: "Re: GIMP for Web sites" 
    Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 12:02:10 +0600

    "Andy Helliwell" typed:

    > "Ayaz Ahmed Khan" <resilient@myrealbox.com> schreef in bericht
    > news:pan.2004.07.26.04.37.44.285186.2045@home.mdk-9.0...
    >> I don't think GIMP does GIFs. GIF is a proprietary standard or
    >> something to that effect. But I may well be off base here.
    >
    > I have had no success with GIF files and GIMP,it saves Gif's with
    > the correct icon but I can't open them.WMF also can sometimes be
    > opened by Gimp but another time the same file won't open.
    >
    > I just normally save in jpeg format anyway.

    I searched gnu.org for anything related to GIF, and found this:

      http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/gif.html

      There are no GIFs on the GNU web site because of the
      patents (Unisys and IBM) covering the LZW compression
      algorithm which is used in making GIF files. These
      patents make it impossible to have free software to
      generate proper GIFs. They also apply to the compress
      program, which is why GNU does not use it or its format.

      Unisys and IBM both applied for patents in 1983. Unisys
      (and perhaps IBM) applied for these patents in a number
      of countries. Of the places whose patent databases we
      were able to search, the latest expiration date seems to
      be Friday 11 August 2006 1. Until then, anyone who releases
      a free program for making GIF files is likely to be sued.
      We don't know any reason to think that the patent owners
      would lose these lawsuits. 

    -- 
Ayaz Ahmed Khan
  • Next message: Andy Helliwell: "Re: GIMP for Web sites"

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