[Wikipedia-l] file uploads

[Derek Ross]

----- Original Message -----
From: <lcrocker at nupedia.com>
To: <wikipedia-l at nupedia.com>
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2002 3:18 AM
Subject: Re: [Wikipedia-l] file uploads


> > Still, as long as Wikipedia neither codes nor decodes GIFs, how can
> > it be in violation?
>
> It can't.  Derek is completely mistaken on that score.  Only software
> that encodes or decodes GIF has any problem, and even the case for
> decoders is pretty thin.  So the patent itself is no reason to forgo
> use of GIF in web sites.  But it does make a political statement to
> avoid their use, in that in the long run, avoiding GIFs on web pages
> may in time reduce their use to such low levels that free software
> developers might be able to produce more non-patent-encumbered
> software for producing images.
>
> And PNG is a superior format anyway (and I'm not just saying that
> because I'm one of its developers--I was on the committee that
> created GIF too).

Mistaken ?  In 1999 Unisys stated that its policy is to require a $5000 fee
from websites that carry GIF images made by unlicensed software -- even
nonprofit websites created and displayed with free software.  Can Wikipedia
prove that every GIF image uploaded to it has been created by a properly
licensed GIF encoder ?  I think not.

Cheers

Derek