Re: [Bug-gnupedia]Submissions in Word Format

[Imran Ghory]

On 30 Jan 2001, at 4:30, address@hidden wrote:

> Tom Chance <address@hidden> writes:
> 
> >> The only way we can not use GIFs is to offer an alternative. We
> >> can't expect people to submit PNGs because few know about them and
> >> few will have software that will create them.
> >
> >That is not the issue, but as has been pointed out the LZW patent
> >apparently doesn't cover software which only does decompression, so
> >we can accept GIFs and immediately convert them to PNGs (although
> >IANAL).
> 
> I would be real careful if you really believe this.

FSF have said (http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/gif.html) that they 
believe the patents do not cover decompression of images.

(Incidently those in the UK may wish to see 
http://www.patent.gov.uk/about/ippd/consultation/index.htm
The UK patent offices consultation on software patents; they also 
have a newsserver at news://discuss.patent.gov.uk/)

Imran