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1  <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN">  <!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" -->
2  <HTML>      <title>Why There Are No GIF files on GNU Web Pages</title>
3  <HEAD>  
4  <TITLE>Why no GIFs - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF)</TITLE>  <!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" -->
5  <LINK REV="made" HREF="mailto:webmasters@www.gnu.org">  
6  </HEAD>      <h2>Why There Are No GIF files on GNU Web Pages</h2>
7  <BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#1F00FF" ALINK="#FF0000" VLINK="#9900DD">  
8        <p><strong>While this story is an historical illustration of the danger of
9  <H3>Why there are no GIF files on GNU web pages</H3>      software patents, these particular patents are now no longer a concern. As
10        of the end of September 2006, it is now safe again to use static
11  <A HREF="/graphics/philosophicalgnu.html"><IMG SRC="/graphics/philosophical-gnu-sm.jpg"      GIFs.</strong></p>
12     ALT=" [image of a Philosophical Gnu] "  
13     WIDTH="160" HEIGHT="200"></A>      <p>
14          There are no GIFs on the GNU web site because of the patents (Unisys
15  <!-- Please keep this list alphabetical!!!  -->        and IBM) covering the LZW compression algorithm which is used in
16  [        making GIF files.  These patents make it impossible to have free
17    <A HREF="/philosophy/gif.html">English</A>        software to generate proper GIFs.  They also apply to the
18  | <A HREF="/philosophy/gif.fr.html">French</A>        <strong>compress</strong> program, which is why GNU does not use
19  | <a href="/philosophy/gif.de.html">German</a>        it or its format.
20  | <A HREF="/philosophy/gif.ja.html">Japanese</A>      </p>
21  | <A HREF="/philosophy/gif.ko.html">Korean</A>  
22  | <A HREF="/philosophy/gif.pl.html">Polish</A>      <p>
23  | <A HREF="/philosophy/gif.ru.html">Russian</A>        Unisys and IBM both applied for patents in 1983.  Unisys (and
24  ]            perhaps IBM) applied for these patents in a number of countries.
25          Of the places whose patent databases we were able to search, the
26  <P>        latest expiration date seems to be 1 October 2006.
27  There are no GIFs on the GNU web site because of the patents (Unisys        <a name="returnnote" href="#venuenote"><sup>1</sup></a> Until
28  and IBM) covering the LZW compression algorithm which is used in        then, anyone who releases a free program for making GIF files is
29  making GIF files.  These patents make it impossible to have free        likely to be sued.  We don't know any reason to think that the
30  software to generate proper GIFs.  They also apply to the        patent owners would lose these lawsuits.
31  <STRONG>compress</STRONG> program, which is why GNU does not use it or its      </p>
32  format.  
33        <p>
34  <P>        If we released such a program, Unisys and IBM might think it wiser
35  Both Unisys and IBM applied for their patents in 1983, which means        (for public relations reasons) not to sue a charity like the FSF.
36  they will now expire in the year 2003.  Until then, anyone who        They could instead sue the users of the program, including the
37  releases a free program for making GIF files is likely to be sued.  We        companies who redistribute GNU software.  We feel it would not be
38  don't know any reason to think that the patent owners would lose these        responsible behavior for us to set up this situation.
39  lawsuits.      </p>
40    
41  <P>      <p>
42  If we released such a program, Unisys and IBM might think it wiser        Many people think that Unisys has given permission for distributing
43  (for public relations reasons) not to sue a charity like the FSF.        free software to make GIF format.  Unfortunately that is not what
44  They could instead sue the users of the program, including the        Unisys has actually done.  Here is what Unisys actually said about
45  companies who redistribute GNU software.  We feel it would not be        the matter in 1995:
46  responsible behavior for us to set up this situation.      </p>
47    
48  <P>        <p>
49  Many people think that Unisys has given permission for distributing          <q>Unisys does not require licensing, or fees to be paid,
50  free software to make GIF format.  Unfortunately that is not what          for non-commercial, non-profit GIF-based applications, including
51  Unisys has actually done.  Here is what Unisys actually said about the          those for use on the on-line services.  Concerning developers of
52  matter in 1995:          software for the Internet network, the same principle applies.
53            Unisys will not pursue previous inadvertent infringement by developers
54  <P>          producing versions of software products for the Internet prior to
55            1995. The company does not require licensing, or fees to be paid
56  <BLOCKQUOTE>          for non-commercial, non-profit offerings on the Internet, including
57  <STRONG>          "Freeware".</q>
58  Unisys does not require licensing, or fees to be paid, for        </p>
59  non-commercial, non-profit GIF-based applications, including those for  
60  use on the on-line services.      <p>
61  Concerning developers of software for the Internet network, the        Unfortunately, this doesn't permit
62  same principle applies. Unisys will not pursue previous inadvertent        <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">free software</a>, only
63  infringement by developers producing versions of software products for        <a href="/philosophy/categories.html#semi-freeSoftware">semi-free
64  the Internet prior to 1995. The company does not require licensing,        software</a> which cannot be used in a free operating system such
65  or fees to be paid for non-commercial, non-profit offerings on the        as GNU.  It also does not permit <em>at all</em> the use of LZW
66  Internet, including "Freeware".        for other purposes such as compression of files.  This is why we
67  </STRONG>        think it is still best to reject LZW, and switch to alternatives
68  </BLOCKQUOTE>        such as <a href="/software/gzip/gzip.html">GNU zip</a> and PNG format.
69        </p>
70  <P>  
71  Unfortunately, this doesn't permit      <p>
72          <a href="/philosophy/selling.html">Commercial redistribution of
73  <A HREF="/philosophy/free-sw.html">free software</A>, only        free software</a> is very important, and we want the GNU system as
74          a whole to be redistributed commercially.  This means we can't add
75  <A HREF="/philosophy/categories.html#semi-freeSoftware">semi-free        a GIF-generating program to GNU, not under the Unisys terms.
76  software (18k characters)</A> which cannot be used in a free operating system such as      </p>
77  GNU.  It also does not permit <em>at all</em> the use of LZW  
78  for other purposes such as compression of files.  This is why we      <p>
79  had to develop <A HREF="/software/gzip/gzip.html">GNU zip</A>        The <a href="http://www.fsf.org">Free Software Foundation</a> is a
80  as a replacement for <STRONG>compress</STRONG>.        non-commercial, non-profit organization, so strictly speaking the
81          income from our sales of <a href="http://order.fsf.org/">CD-ROMs</a>
82  <P>        is not "profit".  Perhaps this means we could include a GIF
83  <A HREF="/philosophy/selling.html">Commercial redistribution of free        program on our CD-ROM and claim to be acting within the scope of
84  software</A> is very important, and we want the GNU system as a whole        the Unisys permission--or perhaps not.  But since we know that
85  to be redistributed commercially.  This means we can't add a        other redistributors of GNU would be unable to include it, doing
86  GIF-generating program to GNU, not under the Unisys terms.        this would not be very useful.
87        </p>
88  <P>  
89  The <A HREF="/fsf/fsf.html">Free Software Foundation</A> is a      <p>
90  non-commercial, non-profit organization, so strictly speaking the        Shortly after Unisys made its announcement, when the net in general
91  income from our sales of <A HREF="http://order.fsf.org/">CD-ROMs</A> is        was reassured thinking that Unisys had given permission for free
92  not ``profit''.  Perhaps this means we could include a GIF program on        GIF-generating software, we wrote to the Unisys legal department
93  our CD-ROM and claim to be acting within the scope of the Unisys        asking for clarification of these issues.  We did not receive a
94  permission--or perhaps not.  But since we know that other        response.
95  redistributors of GNU would be unable to include it, doing this would      </p>
96  not be very useful.  
97        <p>
98  <P>        Even if Unisys really did give permission for free software to
99  Shortly after Unisys made its announcement, when the net in general        generate GIFs, we would still have to deal with the IBM patent.
100  was reassured thinking that Unisys had given permission for free        Both the IBM and the Unisys patents cover the same "invention"--the
101  GIF-generating software, we wrote to the Unisys legal department        LZW compression algorithm.  (This could reflect an error on the
102  asking for clarification of these issues.  We did not receive a        part of the US Patent and Trademark Office, which is famous for
103  response.        incompetence and poor judgment.)
104        </p>
105  <P>  
106  Even if Unisys really did give permission for free software to      <p>
107  generate GIFs, we would still have to deal with the IBM patent.  Both        Decoding GIFs is a different issue.  The Unisys and IBM patents
108  the IBM and the Unisys patents cover the same ``invention''--the LZW        are both written in such a way that they do not apply to a program
109  compression algorithm.  (This could reflect an error on the part of        which can only uncompress LZW format and cannot compress.  Therefore
110  the US Patent and Trademark Office, which is famous for incompetence        we can and will include support for displaying GIF files in GNU
111  and poor judgment.)        software.
112        </p>
113  <P>  
114  Decoding GIFs is a different issue.  The Unisys and IBM patents are      <p>
115  both written in such a way that they do not apply to a program which        Given this situation, we could still include GIF files in our web
116  can only uncompress LZW format and cannot compress.  Therefore we can        pages if we wanted to.  Many other people would be happy to generate
117  and will include support for displaying GIF files in GNU software.        them for us, and we would not be sued for having GIF files on our
118          server.
119  <P>      </p>
120  Given this situation, we could still include GIF files in our web  
121  pages if we wanted to.  Many other people would be happy to generate      <p>
122  them for us, and we would not be sued for having GIF files on our server.        But we feel that if we can't distribute the software to enable
123          people to generate GIF files properly, then we should not have
124  <P>        other people run such software for us.  Besides, if we can't provide
125  But we feel that if we can't distribute the software to enable people        software in GNU to generate GIF files, we have to recommend an
126  to generate GIF files properly, then we should not have other people        alternative.  We ourselves should use the alternative that we
127  run such software for us.  Besides, if we can't provide software in        recommend.
128  GNU to generate GIF files, we have to recommend an alternative.  We      </p>
129  ourselves should use the alternative that we recommend.  
130        <p>
131  <P>        In 1999, Unisys had the following to say about the issue of their
132  In 1999, Unisys had the following to say about the issue of their        patent:
133  patent:      </p>
134  <P>  
135  <BLOCKQUOTE>        <p>
136  <STRONG>          <q>Unisys has frequently been asked whether a Unisys license
137  Unisys has frequently been asked whether a Unisys license is required          is required in order to use LZW software obtained by downloading
138  in order to use LZW software obtained by downloading from the          from the Internet or from other sources. The answer is simple. In
139  Internet or from other sources. The answer is simple. In all cases, a          all cases, a written license agreement or statement signed by an
140  written license agreement or statement signed by an authorized Unisys          authorized Unisys representative is required from Unisys for all
141  representative is required from Unisys for all use, sale or distribution          use, sale or distribution of any software (including so-called
142  of any software (including so-called "freeware") and/or hardware          "freeware") and/or hardware providing LZW conversion capability
143  providing LZW conversion capability (for example, downloaded software)          (for example, downloaded software). </q>
144  </STRONG>        </p>
145  </BLOCKQUOTE>  
146  <P>      <p>
147  With this statement, Unisys is trying to take back what they said in 1995        With this statement, Unisys is trying to take back what they said
148  when they gave parts of the patent to the public. The legality of        in 1995 when they gave parts of the patent to the public. The
149  such a move is questionable.        legality of such a move is questionable.
150        </p>
151  <P>  
152  A further issue is that the LZW patents--and software patents in      <p>
153  general--are an offense against the freedom of programmers generally,        A further issue is that the LZW patents--and software patents in
154  and all programmers need to work together against software patents.        general--are an offense against the freedom of programmers generally,
155          and all programmers need to work together against software patents.
156  <P>      </p>
157  So even if we could find a solution to enable the free software  
158  community to generate GIFs, that isn't really a solution, not for the      <p>
159  problem as a whole.  The solution is switching to another format and        So even if we could find a solution to enable the free software
160  not using GIF any more.        community to generate GIFs, that isn't really a solution, not for
161          the problem as a whole.  The solution is switching to another format
162  <P>        and not using GIF any more.
163  Therefore, we don't use GIF, and we hope you won't use it either.      </p>
164    
165  <P>      <p>
166  It is possible to make non-compressed images that act like GIFs, in        Therefore, we don't use GIF, and we hope you won't use it either.
167  that they work with programs that decode GIF format.  This can be done      </p>
168  without infringing patents.  These pseudo-GIFs are useful for some  
169  purposes.      <p>
170          It is possible to make non-compressed images that act like GIFs,
171  <P>        in that they work with programs that decode GIF format.  This can
172  It is also possible to create GIFs using a patent-free run length encoding        be done without infringing patents.  These pseudo-GIFs are useful
173  but this doesn't achieve the compression that one normally expects in a        for some purposes.
174  GIF.      </p>
175    
176  <P>      <p>
177  We decided not to use these pseudo-GIFs on our web site        It is also possible to create GIFs using a patent-free run length
178  because they are not a satisfactory solution to the community's        encoding but this doesn't achieve the compression that one normally
179  problem.  They work, but they are very large.  What the web needs is a        expects in a GIF.
180  patent-free compressed format, not large pseudo-GIFs.      </p>
181    
182  <P> <a href="http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/index.html">PNG format</a> is a      <p>
183  patent-free compressed format.  We hope it will become widely        We decided not to use these pseudo-GIFs on our web site because
184  supported; then we will use it.  We do have        they are not a satisfactory solution to the community's problem.
185  <A HREF="/graphics/graphics.html">PNG versions</A> of the images on this        They work, but they are very large.  What the web needs is a
186  server.        patent-free compressed format, not large pseudo-GIFs.
187        </p>
188  <P>  
189  For more information about the GIF patent problems, see      <p>
190          <a href="http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/index.html">PNG format</a>
191  <A HREF="http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/Patents/Gif/Gif.html">the League for        is a patent-free compressed format.  We hope it will become widely
192  Programming Freedom GIF page</A>.  Through that page you can find more        supported; then we will use it.  We do have
193  information about the problem of software patents in general.        <a href="/graphics/graphics.html">PNG versions</a> of the images
194          on this server.
195  <P>      </p>
196    
197  <A HREF="http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/pngapbr.html">The      <p>
198  browser support page</A> lists browsers which are compatible with        For more information about the GIF patent problems, see
199  the PNG format and comments on how well they support it.        <a href="http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/Patents/Gif/Gif.html">the League
200  <P>        for Programming Freedom GIF page</a>.  Through that page you can
201          find more information about the problem of software patents in
202  There's a library called <A        general.
203  HREF="http://prtr-13.ucsc.edu/~badger/software/libungif/index.shtml">libungif</A>      </p>
204  that reads gif files and writes uncompressed gifs to circumvent the  
205  Unisys patent.      <p>
206  <P>        <a href="http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/pngapbr.html">The browser
207  <a href="http://burnallgifs.org">http://burnallgifs.org</a> is a website devoted to discouraging the use of GIF files on your website.        support page</a> lists browsers which are compatible with the PNG
208  <HR>        format and comments on how well they support it.  
209        </p>
210  <H4><A HREF="/philosophy/philosophy.html">Other Texts to Read</A></H4>  
211        <p>
212  <HR>        There's a library called
213    
214  Return to <A HREF="/home.html">GNU's home page</A>.  
215  <P>        <a href="http://ca.geocities.com/libungif/">
216            libungif</a> that reads gif files and writes uncompressed gifs to
217  Please send FSF &amp; GNU inquiries &amp; questions to          circumvent the Unisys patent.  
218        </p>
219  <A HREF="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><EM>gnu@gnu.org</EM></A>.  
220  There are also <A HREF="/home.html#ContactInfo">other ways to      <p>
221  contact</A> the FSF.        <a href="http://burnallgifs.org">http://burnallgifs.org</a> is a
222  <P>        website devoted to discouraging the use of GIF files on your website.
223        </p>
224  Please send comments on these web pages to  
225        <h3>Footnote:</h3>
226  <A HREF="mailto:webmasters@www.gnu.org"><EM>webmasters@www.gnu.org</EM></A>,  
227  send other questions to      <p><a href="#returnnote" id="venuenote">1.</a> We were able to search the
228  <A HREF="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><EM>gnu@gnu.org</EM></A>.      patent databases of the USA, Canada, Japan, and the European Union. The
229  <P>      Unisys patent expired on 20 June 2003 in the USA, in Europe it
230  Copyright (C) 1997, 1998, 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.,      expired on 18 June 2004, in Japan the patent expired on 20 June
231  59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111,  USA      2004 and in Canada it expired on 7 July 2004. The U.S. IBM
232  <P>      patent expired 11 August 2006, The Software Freedom Law Center says that
233  Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is      after 1 October 2006, there will be no significant patent claims
234  permitted in any medium, provided this notice is preserved.<P>      interfering with employment of the GIF format.</p>
235  Updated:  
236  <!-- timestamp start -->      </div>
237  $Date$ $Author$  
238  <!-- timestamp end -->  <!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" -->
239  <HR>  
240  </BODY>      <div id="footer">
241  </HTML>  
242    
243          <p>
244            Please send FSF &amp; GNU inquiries to
245            <a href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><em>gnu@gnu.org</em></a>.
246            There are also <a href="/home.html#ContactInfo">other ways to contact</a>
247            the FSF.
248            <br />
249            Please send broken links and other corrections (or suggestions) to
250            <a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><em>webmasters@gnu.org</em></a>.
251          </p>
252    
253          <p>
254            Please see the
255            <a href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations
256            README</a> for information on coordinating and submitting
257            translations of this article.
258          </p>
259    
260          <p>
261            Copyright (C) 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
262            51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110, USA
263            <br />
264            Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is
265            permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is
266            preserved.
267          </p>
268    
269          <p>
270            Updated:
271            <!-- timestamp start -->
272            $Date$ $Author$
273            <!-- timestamp end -->
274          </p>
275        </div>
276    
277    
278        <div id="translations">
279          <h3>Translations of this page</h3>
280    
281          <!-- Please keep this list alphabetical, and in the original -->
282          <!-- language if possible, otherwise default to English -->
283          <!-- If you do not have it English, please comment what the -->
284          <!-- English is.  If you add a new language here, please -->
285          <!-- advise web-translators@gnu.org and add it to -->
286          <!--    - in /home/www/bin/nightly-vars either TAGSLANG or WEBLANG -->
287          <!--    - in /home/www/html/server/standards/README.translations.html -->
288          <!--      one of the lists under the section "Translations Underway" -->
289          <!--    - if there is a translation team, you also have to add an alias -->
290          <!--      to mail.gnu.org:/com/mailer/aliases -->
291          <!-- Please also check you have the 2 letter language code right versus -->
292          <!--     http://www.w3.org/WAI/ER/IG/ert/iso639.htm -->
293    
294          <ul>
295          <li><a href="/philosophy/gif.ca.html">Catal&#x00e0;</a></li> <!-- Catalan -->
296          <li><a href="/philosophy/gif.html">English</a></li>
297          <li><a href="/philosophy/gif.de.html">Deutsch</a></li>            <!-- German -->
298          <li><a href="/philosophy/gif.es.html">Espa&#x00f1;ol</a></li>     <!-- Spanish -->
299          <li><a href="/philosophy/gif.fr.html">Fran&#x00e7;ais</a></li>    <!-- French -->
300    
301          <!-- Japanese -->
302          <li><a href="/philosophy/gif.ja.html">&#x65e5;&#x672c;&#x8a9e;</a></li>
303    
304          <li><a href="/philosophy/gif.ko.html">&#xd55c;&#xad6d;&#xc5b4;</a></li><!-- Korean -->
305          <li><a href="/philosophy/gif.pl.html">Polski</a></li>             <!-- Polish -->
306          <li><a href="/philosophy/gif.ro.html">Rom&#x00e2;n&#x0103;</a></li>     <!-- Romanian -->
307    
308          <!-- Russian/Russkij -->
309          <li><a href="/philosophy/gif.ru.html">&#1056;&#1091;&#1089;&#1089;&#1082;&#1080;&#1081;</a></li>
310          <li><a href="/philosophy/gif.sr.html">&#x0421;&#x0440;&#x043f;&#x0441;&#x043a;&#x0438;</a></li> <!-- Serbian -->
311          </ul>
312        </div>
313    
314    
315    </div>
316    
317      </body>
318    </html>

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