Life is tough.
On Thu, Jun 24, 2004 at 09:03:41PM +0100, Timwi wrote:
The decoder at the very least is almost certainly legally okay, and widely available in players like winamp and xmms, and even the encoders, like LAME, are rather common and have not received legal threats.
As far as I'm aware, LAME is specifically paying the patent royalties.
<quote> Using the LAME encoding engine (or other mp3 encoding technology) in your software may require a patent license in some countries. </quote>
Decoding MP3 is patent-free, that is correct. Same with GIF.
<quote> PC Software applications which incorporate mp3 / mp3PRO decoding (player, decoder) and software applications incorporating mp3 / mp3PRO encoding capabilities (encoder, ripper, recorder, jukebox). [...]
mp3 patent-only license This patent-only license is needed in case the mp3 software is developed in-house or licensed from a third party. Decoder . US$ 0.75 per unit or US$ 50 000.00 one-time paid-up Encoder / Codec . US$ 2.50 per unit
Note: This license does not cover the right to distribute, broadcast and/or stream mp3 / mp3PRO encoded data. These rights are covered by the licenses described under Electronic Music Distribution / Broadcasting / Streaming. </quote>
http://www.mp3licensing.com/royalty/software.html
Dunno about any problems with GIF *decoding*, but you surely cannot *create* compressed GIFs without paying.
Peter