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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          (for public relations reasons) not to sue a charity like the FSF.
36  Unisys and IBM both applied for patents in 1983.  Unisys (and perhaps IBM)        They could instead sue the users of the program, including the
37  applied for these patents in a number of countries.  Of the places whose        companies who redistribute GNU software.  We feel it would not be
38  patent databases we were able to search, the latest expiration date seems        responsible behavior for us to set up this situation.
39  to be Wednesday 7 July 2004 <a name="returnnote"      </p>
40  href="#venuenote"><sup>1</sup></a>.  Until then, anyone who releases a  
41  free program for making GIF files is likely to be sued.  We don't know any      <p>
42  reason to think that the patent owners would lose these lawsuits.        Many people think that Unisys has given permission for distributing
43          free software to make GIF format.  Unfortunately that is not what
44  <P>        Unisys has actually done.  Here is what Unisys actually said about
45          the matter in 1995:
46  If we released such a program, Unisys and IBM might think it wiser (for      </p>
47  public relations reasons) not to sue a charity like the FSF.  They could  
48  instead sue the users of the program, including the companies who        <p>
49  redistribute GNU software.  We feel it would not be responsible behavior          <q>Unisys does not require licensing, or fees to be paid,
50  for us to set up this situation.          for non-commercial, non-profit GIF-based applications, including
51            those for use on the on-line services.  Concerning developers of
52  <P>          software for the Internet network, the same principle applies.
53            Unisys will not pursue previous inadvertent infringement by developers
54  Many people think that Unisys has given permission for distributing free          producing versions of software products for the Internet prior to
55  software to make GIF format.  Unfortunately that is not what Unisys has          1995. The company does not require licensing, or fees to be paid
56  actually done.  Here is what Unisys actually said about the matter in          for non-commercial, non-profit offerings on the Internet, including
57  1995:          "Freeware".</q>
58          </p>
59  <P>  
60        <p>
61  <BLOCKQUOTE>        Unfortunately, this doesn't permit
62  <STRONG>        <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">free software</a>, only
63  Unisys does not require licensing, or fees to be paid, for        <a href="/philosophy/categories.html#semi-freeSoftware">semi-free
64  non-commercial, non-profit GIF-based applications, including those for        software</a> which cannot be used in a free operating system such
65  use on the on-line services.        as GNU.  It also does not permit <em>at all</em> the use of LZW
66  Concerning developers of software for the Internet network, the        for other purposes such as compression of files.  This is why we
67  same principle applies. Unisys will not pursue previous inadvertent        think it is still best to reject LZW, and switch to alternatives
68  infringement by developers producing versions of software products for        such as <a href="/software/gzip/gzip.html">GNU zip</a> and PNG format.
69  the Internet prior to 1995. The company does not require licensing,      </p>
70  or fees to be paid for non-commercial, non-profit offerings on the  
71  Internet, including "Freeware".      <p>
72  </STRONG>        <a href="/philosophy/selling.html">Commercial redistribution of
73  </BLOCKQUOTE>        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  <P>        a GIF-generating program to GNU, not under the Unisys terms.
76  Unfortunately, this doesn't permit      </p>
77    
78  <A HREF="/philosophy/free-sw.html">free software</A>, only      <p>
79          The <a href="http://www.fsf.org">Free Software Foundation</a> is a
80  <A HREF="/philosophy/categories.html#semi-freeSoftware">semi-free        non-commercial, non-profit organization, so strictly speaking the
81  software (18k characters)</A> which cannot be used in a free operating system such as        income from our sales of <a href="http://order.fsf.org/">CD-ROMs</a>
82  GNU.  It also does not permit <em>at all</em> the use of LZW        is not "profit".  Perhaps this means we could include a GIF
83  for other purposes such as compression of files.  This is why we        program on our CD-ROM and claim to be acting within the scope of
84  had to develop <A HREF="/software/gzip/gzip.html">GNU zip</A>        the Unisys permission--or perhaps not.  But since we know that
85  as a replacement for <STRONG>compress</STRONG>.        other redistributors of GNU would be unable to include it, doing
86          this would not be very useful.
87  <P>      </p>
88    
89  <A HREF="/philosophy/selling.html">Commercial redistribution of free      <p>
90  software</A> is very important, and we want the GNU system as a whole to        Shortly after Unisys made its announcement, when the net in general
91  be redistributed commercially.  This means we can't add a GIF-generating        was reassured thinking that Unisys had given permission for free
92  program to GNU, not under the Unisys terms.        GIF-generating software, we wrote to the Unisys legal department
93          asking for clarification of these issues.  We did not receive a
94  <P>        response.
95  The <A HREF="/fsf/fsf.html">Free Software Foundation</A> is a      </p>
96  non-commercial, non-profit organization, so strictly speaking the  
97  income from our sales of <A HREF="http://order.fsf.org/">CD-ROMs</A> is      <p>
98  not ``profit''.  Perhaps this means we could include a GIF program on        Even if Unisys really did give permission for free software to
99  our CD-ROM and claim to be acting within the scope of the Unisys        generate GIFs, we would still have to deal with the IBM patent.
100  permission--or perhaps not.  But since we know that other        Both the IBM and the Unisys patents cover the same "invention"--the
101  redistributors of GNU would be unable to include it, doing this would        LZW compression algorithm.  (This could reflect an error on the
102  not be very useful.        part of the US Patent and Trademark Office, which is famous for
103          incompetence and poor judgment.)
104  <P>      </p>
105  Shortly after Unisys made its announcement, when the net in general  
106  was reassured thinking that Unisys had given permission for free      <p>
107  GIF-generating software, we wrote to the Unisys legal department        Decoding GIFs is a different issue.  The Unisys and IBM patents
108  asking for clarification of these issues.  We did not receive a        are both written in such a way that they do not apply to a program
109  response.        which can only uncompress LZW format and cannot compress.  Therefore
110          we can and will include support for displaying GIF files in GNU
111  <P>        software.
112  Even if Unisys really did give permission for free software to      </p>
113  generate GIFs, we would still have to deal with the IBM patent.  Both  
114  the IBM and the Unisys patents cover the same ``invention''--the LZW      <p>
115  compression algorithm.  (This could reflect an error on the part of        Given this situation, we could still include GIF files in our web
116  the US Patent and Trademark Office, which is famous for incompetence        pages if we wanted to.  Many other people would be happy to generate
117  and poor judgment.)        them for us, and we would not be sued for having GIF files on our
118          server.
119  <P>      </p>
120  Decoding GIFs is a different issue.  The Unisys and IBM patents are  
121  both written in such a way that they do not apply to a program which      <p>
122  can only uncompress LZW format and cannot compress.  Therefore we can        But we feel that if we can't distribute the software to enable
123  and will include support for displaying GIF files in GNU software.        people to generate GIF files properly, then we should not have
124          other people run such software for us.  Besides, if we can't provide
125  <P>        software in GNU to generate GIF files, we have to recommend an
126  Given this situation, we could still include GIF files in our web        alternative.  We ourselves should use the alternative that we
127  pages if we wanted to.  Many other people would be happy to generate        recommend.
128  them for us, and we would not be sued for having GIF files on our server.      </p>
129    
130  <P>      <p>
131  But we feel that if we can't distribute the software to enable people        In 1999, Unisys had the following to say about the issue of their
132  to generate GIF files properly, then we should not have other people        patent:
133  run such software for us.  Besides, if we can't provide software in      </p>
134  GNU to generate GIF files, we have to recommend an alternative.  We  
135  ourselves should use the alternative that we recommend.        <p>
136            <q>Unisys has frequently been asked whether a Unisys license
137  <P>          is required in order to use LZW software obtained by downloading
138  In 1999, Unisys had the following to say about the issue of their          from the Internet or from other sources. The answer is simple. In
139  patent:          all cases, a written license agreement or statement signed by an
140  <P>          authorized Unisys representative is required from Unisys for all
141  <BLOCKQUOTE>          use, sale or distribution of any software (including so-called
142  <STRONG>          "freeware") and/or hardware providing LZW conversion capability
143  Unisys has frequently been asked whether a Unisys license is required          (for example, downloaded software). </q>
144  in order to use LZW software obtained by downloading from the        </p>
145  Internet or from other sources. The answer is simple. In all cases, a  
146  written license agreement or statement signed by an authorized Unisys      <p>
147  representative is required from Unisys for all use, sale or distribution        With this statement, Unisys is trying to take back what they said
148  of any software (including so-called "freeware") and/or hardware        in 1995 when they gave parts of the patent to the public. The
149  providing LZW conversion capability (for example, downloaded software)        legality of such a move is questionable.
150  </STRONG>      </p>
151  </BLOCKQUOTE>  
152  <P>      <p>
153  With this statement, Unisys is trying to take back what they said in 1995        A further issue is that the LZW patents--and software patents in
154  when they gave parts of the patent to the public. The legality of        general--are an offense against the freedom of programmers generally,
155  such a move is questionable.        and all programmers need to work together against software patents.
156        </p>
157  <P>  
158  A further issue is that the LZW patents--and software patents in      <p>
159  general--are an offense against the freedom of programmers generally,        So even if we could find a solution to enable the free software
160  and all programmers need to work together against software patents.        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  So even if we could find a solution to enable the free software      </p>
164  community to generate GIFs, that isn't really a solution, not for the  
165  problem as a whole.  The solution is switching to another format and      <p>
166  not using GIF any more.        Therefore, we don't use GIF, and we hope you won't use it either.
167        </p>
168  <P>  
169  Therefore, we don't use GIF, and we hope you won't use it either.      <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 possible to make non-compressed images that act like GIFs, in        be done without infringing patents.  These pseudo-GIFs are useful
173  that they work with programs that decode GIF format.  This can be done        for some purposes.
174  without infringing patents.  These pseudo-GIFs are useful for some      </p>
175  purposes.  
176        <p>
177  <P>        It is also possible to create GIFs using a patent-free run length
178  It is also possible to create GIFs using a patent-free run length encoding        encoding but this doesn't achieve the compression that one normally
179  but this doesn't achieve the compression that one normally expects in a        expects in a GIF.
180  GIF.      </p>
181    
182  <P>      <p>
183  We decided not to use these pseudo-GIFs on our web site        We decided not to use these pseudo-GIFs on our web site because
184  because they are not a satisfactory solution to the community's        they are not a satisfactory solution to the community's problem.
185  problem.  They work, but they are very large.  What the web needs is a        They work, but they are very large.  What the web needs is a
186  patent-free compressed format, not large pseudo-GIFs.        patent-free compressed format, not large pseudo-GIFs.
187        </p>
188  <P> <a href="http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/index.html">PNG format</a> is a  
189  patent-free compressed format.  We hope it will become widely      <p>
190  supported; then we will use it.  We do have        <a href="http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/index.html">PNG format</a>
191  <A HREF="/graphics/graphics.html">PNG versions</A> of the images on this        is a patent-free compressed format.  We hope it will become widely
192  server.        supported; then we will use it.  We do have
193          <a href="/graphics/graphics.html">PNG versions</a> of the images
194  <P>        on this server.
195  For more information about the GIF patent problems, see      </p>
196    
197  <A HREF="http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/Patents/Gif/Gif.html">the League for      <p>
198  Programming Freedom GIF page</A>.  Through that page you can find more        For more information about the GIF patent problems, see
199  information about the problem of software patents in general.        <a href="http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/Patents/Gif/Gif.html">the League
200          for Programming Freedom GIF page</a>.  Through that page you can
201  <P>        find more information about the problem of software patents in
202          general.
203  <A HREF="http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/pngapbr.html">The      </p>
204  browser support page</A> lists browsers which are compatible with  
205  the PNG format and comments on how well they support it.      <p>
206  <P>        <a href="http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/pngapbr.html">The browser
207          support page</a> lists browsers which are compatible with the PNG
208  There's a library called <A        format and comments on how well they support it.  
209  HREF="http://prtr-13.ucsc.edu/~badger/software/libungif/index.shtml">libungif</A>      </p>
210  that reads gif files and writes uncompressed gifs to circumvent the  
211  Unisys patent.      <p>
212  <P>        There's a library called
213  <a href="http://burnallgifs.org">http://burnallgifs.org</a> is a website devoted to discouraging the use of GIF files on your website.  
214  <HR>  
215          <a href="http://ca.geocities.com/libungif/">
216  Footnote:          libungif</a> that reads gif files and writes uncompressed gifs to
217  <br>          circumvent the Unisys patent.  
218  <a href="#returnnote" name="venuenote">1.</a> We were able to search the      </p>
219      patent databases of the USA, Canada, Japan, and the European Union.  
220      The Unisys patent expired on 20 June 2003 in the USA, but it does not      <p>
221      expire in most of Europe until 18 June 2004, in Japan until 20 June        <a href="http://burnallgifs.org">http://burnallgifs.org</a> is a
222      2004 and in Canada until 7 July 2004.  We are still searching these        website devoted to discouraging the use of GIF files on your website.
223      databases for the Unisys patent.      </p>
224  <hr>  
225        <h3>Footnote:</h3>
226  <H4><A HREF="/philosophy/philosophy.html">Other Texts to Read</A></H4>  
227        <p><a href="#returnnote" id="venuenote">1.</a> We were able to search the
228  <HR>      patent databases of the USA, Canada, Japan, and the European Union. The
229        Unisys patent expired on 20 June 2003 in the USA, in Europe it
230  Return to <A HREF="/home.html">GNU's home page</A>.      expired on 18 June 2004, in Japan the patent expired on 20 June
231  <P>      2004 and in Canada it expired on 7 July 2004. The U.S. IBM
232        patent expired 11 August 2006, The Software Freedom Law Center says that
233  Please send FSF &amp; GNU inquiries &amp; questions to      after 1 October 2006, there will be no significant patent claims
234        interfering with employment of the GIF format.</p>
235  <A HREF="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><EM>gnu@gnu.org</EM></A>.  
236  There are also <A HREF="/home.html#ContactInfo">other ways to      </div>
237  contact</A> the FSF.  
238  <P>  <!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" -->
239    
240  Please send comments on these web pages to      <div id="footer">
241    
242  <A HREF="mailto:webmasters@www.gnu.org"><EM>webmasters@www.gnu.org</EM></A>,  
243  send other questions to        <p>
244  <A HREF="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><EM>gnu@gnu.org</EM></A>.          Please send FSF &amp; GNU inquiries to
245  <P>          <a href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><em>gnu@gnu.org</em></a>.
246  Copyright (C) 1997, 1998, 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.,          There are also <a href="/home.html#ContactInfo">other ways to contact</a>
247  59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111,  USA          the FSF.
248  <P>          <br />
249  Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is          Please send broken links and other corrections (or suggestions) to
250  permitted in any medium, provided this notice is preserved.<P>          <a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><em>webmasters@gnu.org</em></a>.
251  Updated:        </p>
252  <!-- timestamp start -->  
253  $Date$ $Author$        <p>
254  <!-- timestamp end -->          Please see the
255  <HR>          <a href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations
256  </BODY>          README</a> for information on coordinating and submitting
257  </HTML>          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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