Bug#172181: lzw code missing (no patent?)

[Drew Scott Daniels <umdanie8@cc.UManitoba.CA>]

Package: openoffice.org
Severity: normal

According to the following thread, and a cvs entry, lzw code has been
disabled and removed from the source.
http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2002/debian-legal-200210/msg00244.html

There may not be reason to exclude the lzw and related code as the LZW
patent is "running out".
http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2002/debian-legal-200211/msg00160.html

I am unsure as to how this bug should properly be addressed, but I do feel
that if lzw is disabled, it is a bug. I feel that this bug satisfies the
requirements of "normal" as it affects the normal use of openoffice.org in
relation to .gif files.

Also from the cvs:
Revision 1.3 / (view) - annotate - [select for diffs] , Thu Aug 15
13:50:45 2002 UTC (3 months, 3 weeks ago) by haggai
Branch: MAIN
Changes since 1.2: +73 -2 lines
Diff to previous 1.2 (colored)
 * Remove non-free LZW compression code: Save to html no longer works if
   there are graphics in the document. 905_remove_lzwc.diff and file removed
   from source tarball.
...

Also the TODO file in debian/ says:
*   Replace LZW compression algorithm.  Save to Web in writer will not work if
    there are graphics in the document, because writer converts all bitmaps to
    GIFs using the patented LZW compression algorithm which we have disabled.
    Upstream Issue #4950.

I hope someone will now respond to my message on debian-legal. My lzw
message was even mentioned in the DWN.

     Drew Daniels