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Unisys is the company that holds the patent on LZW which is the algorithm used to create the GIF image format. As you are all aware GIF is one of the most common image formats on the Internet today. At first Unisys was content to monitor the larger image manipulation companies to assure that their licensing fees were paid. Now they are going after the Web site Owner/Developer
If you create a GIF image using software that has not properly licensed the LZW, Unisys wants $5000.00 from you as the web site owner or developer.
The most concerning aspect of this is in the fact that Unisys cannot tell what software was used to create a GIF by analyzing the image itself. So what they are doing is targeting the larger sites that create strong revenues and accusing them of using unlicensed use of GIF image creation.
This is nothing more then a modern day witch-hunt. Unisys struck a deal with Compuserv (who holds the patent on the GIF format) where Unisys receives 1% of all fees taken by Compuserv related to the GIF format. Now Unisys is going to cause larger sites time and expense in order to prove they are not violating the patent Unisys holds.
You can thank the DMCA for the "Guilty until I prove I'm innocent". It is the DMCA that allows Unisys the right to blindly accuse without proof, placing the burden on the site developer/owners to prove they are innocent.
There have been several protests in Pennsylvania where Unisys has their corporate center. This latest move by Unisys certainly has the Web site developing community up in arms and rightly so. Now Developers purchasing site designs need to be concerned with how the GIF images were made.
It isn't getting any easier out there and some reform for this type of copyright abuse needs to happen sooner rather then later.
You can read more about the GIF's at burnallgifs.org
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