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RE: GIFs in the tcm binary package
- From: "Chris January" <chris at atomice dot net>
- To: "Cygwin-apps" <cygwin-apps at cygwin dot com>
- Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 18:12:01 +0100
- Subject: RE: GIFs in the tcm binary package
> > Where does this patent apply? The relevant patent expired in the US and
> > software patents are not (yet) valid in member countries in the EU.
>
> It's still valid in Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan.
> According to their site, at least.
>
> I don't think you are infringing if you simply distribute GIFs. It's
> software that uses the LZW algorithm that is covered, i.e. stuff that
> creates (and presumably decodes) the format.
>
> Brian
But software patents aren't legal in the UK. Sigh
Chris