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Does no one remember what happened with GIF? It got so widely adopted that is was impossible to stop using it. The other image format supported by the web was J

Does no one remember what happened with GIF? It got so widely adopted that is was impossible to stop using it. The other image format supported by the web was JPEG, which wasn't suitable for non-photographic images because of it's lossy nature and imprecise control over colour. And then suddenly, Unisys asked for lots of money from everyone producing software which wrote GIFs. Those that do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

glhaynes 17y ago
How many paid Unisys? (Honest question, I don't remember. But I do remember celebrating GIF Freedom Day when the patent ran out.)
tedunangst 17y ago
1. Compuserve invented GIF. Not Unisys. 2. Unisys never said "You can use this for free" and then changed their minds.
- haberman 17y ago
  "Unisys does not require licensing, or fees to be paid, for non-commercial, non-profit GIF-based applications, including those for use on the on-line services. Concerning developers of software for the Internet network, the same principle applies. Unisys will not pursue previous inadvertent infringement by developers producing versions of software products for the Internet prior to 1995. The company does not require licensing, or fees to be paid for non-commercial, non-profit offerings on the Internet, including "Freeware"." --Unisys 1995 (http://web.archive.org/web/19981203000955/http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/Patents/Gif/unisys.html http://web.archive.org/web/19981203000955/http://lpf.ai.mit....) "Unisys has frequently been asked whether a Unisys license is required in order to use LZW software obtained by downloading from the Internet or from other sources. The answer is simple. In all cases, a written license agreement or statement signed by an authorized Unisys representative is required from Unisys for all use, sale or distribution of any software (including so-called "freeware") and/or hardware providing LZW conversion capability (for example, downloaded software used for creating/displaying GIF images)." --Unisys 1999 (http://web.archive.org/web/20021203075728/http://www.unisys.com/about__unisys/lzw/index.htm http://web.archive.org/web/20021203075728/http://www.unisys....)
  - tedunangst 17y ago
    Crazy. I knew about the second version of their policy, but didn't realize they actually did say it was free at first.

glhaynes 17y ago

How many paid Unisys? (Honest question, I don't remember. But I do remember celebrating GIF Freedom Day when the patent ran out.)

tedunangst 17y ago

1. Compuserve invented GIF. Not Unisys. 2. Unisys never said "You can use this for free" and then changed their minds.

haberman 17y ago
"Unisys does not require licensing, or fees to be paid, for non-commercial, non-profit GIF-based applications, including those for use on the on-line services. Concerning developers of software for the Internet network, the same principle applies. Unisys will not pursue previous inadvertent infringement by developers producing versions of software products for the Internet prior to 1995. The company does not require licensing, or fees to be paid for non-commercial, non-profit offerings on the Internet, including "Freeware"." --Unisys 1995 (http://web.archive.org/web/19981203000955/http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/Patents/Gif/unisys.html http://web.archive.org/web/19981203000955/http://lpf.ai.mit....) "Unisys has frequently been asked whether a Unisys license is required in order to use LZW software obtained by downloading from the Internet or from other sources. The answer is simple. In all cases, a written license agreement or statement signed by an authorized Unisys representative is required from Unisys for all use, sale or distribution of any software (including so-called "freeware") and/or hardware providing LZW conversion capability (for example, downloaded software used for creating/displaying GIF images)." --Unisys 1999 (http://web.archive.org/web/20021203075728/http://www.unisys.com/about__unisys/lzw/index.htm http://web.archive.org/web/20021203075728/http://www.unisys....)
- tedunangst 17y ago
  Crazy. I knew about the second version of their policy, but didn't realize they actually did say it was free at first.