At 02:36 PM 1/25/00 -0600, you wrote:
>If you are online with images, I would like to know what steps you took
>before posting the images.
It is so easy to capture many images from the Internet, but Web designers
do need to be aware of the licensing of GIF files. Please read the third
paragraph in the following information that I found on this Unisys Web site:
http://corp2.unisys.com/LeadStory//lzwfaq.html
"License Information on GIF and Other LZW-based Technologies
"More and more people are becoming aware that the reading and/or writing of
GIF images requires a license to use Unisys patented Lempel Ziv Welch (LZW)
data compression and decompression technology, including United States
Patent No. 4,558,302, Japanese Patent Numbers 2,123,602 and 2,610,084, and
patents in Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. Since
January of 1995, Unisys has entered into almost two thousand license
agreements for use of GIF and other LZW-based technology.
"As a result of both this extensive licensing and changes in the use and
marketing of GIF and other LZW-based products, Unisys has had to adjust its
licensing policies to reflect these changes and the needs of existing and
future licensees.
"Microsoft Corporation obtained a license under the above Unisys LZW
patents in September, 1996. Microsoft's license does NOT extend to software
developers or third parties who use Microsoft toolkit, language,
development or operating system products to provide GIF read/write and/or
any other LZW capabilities in their own products (e.g., by way of DLLs and
APIs). The complete statement by Microsoft can be found at Microsoft's
developer-oriented Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/DEVONLY/Unisys.htm.
Software developers and third parties who wish to include Microsoft
toolkit, language, development or operating system products in their own
products for providing GIF or any other LZW capability should contact
Unisys for a license as instructed below. Other forms of LZW are, for
example, TIFF-LZW, PDF and Postscript-2.
"Unisys has frequently been asked whether a Unisys license is required in
order to use LZW software obtained by downloading from the Internet or from
other sources. The answer is simple. In all cases, a written license
agreement or statement signed by an authorized Unisys representative is
required from Unisys for all use, sale or distribution of any software
(including so-called "freeware") and/or hardware providing LZW conversion
capability (for example, downloaded software used for creating/displaying
GIF images). In certain cases, no license fees may be required, but this
needs to be evidenced by a written agreement or written statement signed by
an authorized Unisys representative.
"Unisys therefore cautions recipients, users and distributors of hardware
or software products containing LZW conversion capability to make sure that
they are lawfully acquiring and/or distributing licensed LZW software. The
fact that a product includes a notice regarding the need for a Unisys
license (or a statement that the software is "freeware") should NOT be
relied on to avoid liability, since the distributor may not in fact be
authorized to distribute the LZW software and may itself also be subject to
liability along with the recipient. You should also be aware that Unisys
licenses have a limited field of use and may not allow your intended use
even if the vendor/distributor has a Unisys license. For example, the
typical Unisys license for standalone software does NOT permit copying,
modification, resale, use on a server or in a network, or use for
Internet/Intranet/Extranet or Web site operation. Other limitations may
also be applicable. Upon request, Unisys will, in most instances, be able
to advise you whether a specific software vendor is licensed by Unisys and
the scope of this license.
"Currently applicable information as to Unisys licensing policies for
products using LZW (GIF, TIFF-LZW, PostScript, Portable Document Format
(PDF), V.42bis, etc.) can be obtained by contacting the following:
"Welch Patent Licensing Department; Unisys Corporation; Mail Stop E8-114;
Unisys Way, Blue Bell, PA 19424. Via the Internet, send E-mail to
[log in to unmask] Via facsimile, send inquiries to Welch Patent
Licensing Department at 215-986-3090.
"A special license is available for operators of Intranet and Billboard Web
sites.
"The above is presented for information purposes only, and is subject to
change by Unisys. Additionally, this information should not be considered
as legally obligating Unisys in any way with regard to license
availability, or as to the terms and conditions offered for a license, or
with regard to the interpretation of any license agreements. You should
consult with your own legal counsel regarding your particular situation."
Best wishes.
Karen Bradford
Senior Public Information Representative
Center for Archaeology and Paleontology
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521-0224
http://westerncenter.ucr.edu
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