Re: Latest UNISYS LZW patent nonsense -- $5,000 for every web site
On Wed, 25 Aug 1999, tony mancill wrote:
> 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). In certain cases,
> no license fees may be required, but this needs to be evidenced by a
> written agreement or written statement signed by an authorized Unisys
> representative.
>
> It appears that the issue is much larger than just webservers. Unisys
> wants to go after webservers because they are visible. Maybe we should
> drive them nuts trying to find out if we need end-user licenses for
> convert, imagemagick, gimp, xv, xfig, etc. It seems like a couple hundred
> thousand requests might make them rethink their policy. It's going to
> cost far more to enforce a "no license fees" license than they'll make off
> of the other licenses.
As far as I can tell, imagemagick-nonfree, gimp-nonfree, xv, xfig, etc.
would fall under this policy, but web servers would not unless they create
GIFs themselves. If they're just normal web servers, then there's no
conversion capability. Also, web site administrators wouldn't have to pay
because they're only supplying the finished product, not anything that
actually uses the algorithm. However, any tools used for generating the
GIFs would fit.
> The other part of this that is really appalling is that it's a software
> patent, not a copyright issue. I thought that software patents were for
> the most part passe.
Ha.
> Last point. What about www.debian.org? Do we need to take some steps to protect
> ourselves? Can we just convert everything to JPEG?
Removing GIFs would make a statement (FSF did this), but I don't see how
it would protect anybody.
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