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Subject:RE: [techwr-l] Unisys in the news again From:Bill Burns <BillDB -at- ILE -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L, a list for all technical communication issues" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 1 Sep 1999 08:24:21 -0600
Here's another take on it that someone posted on WINHLP-L.
Bill Burns - Eccentric Technology Consultant
International Communications Design & Development
billdb -at- ile -dot- com
Y2K Complacent
=================================
Apparently the GIF/Unisys story on slashdot was very very inaccurate.
My friend Tom Boutell -- who is one of the originators of the PNG standard
and has no vested interest in pumping for Unisys -- told me about a new
story
that actually talks with Unisys and is nowhere near as dire.
Upshot:
"...if the GIFs on your Web site were created with software that is licensed
by Unisys, you are fine. Nobody at Unisys is going to try to get $5000 or
even $0.50 out of you. Period."
"...virtually all of the major, heavily-used, commercial graphics programs
from what he calls "reputable companies" (e.g. Adobe, Corel, JASC,
Macromedia, Microsoft, AOL/Netscape, etc.) are licensed by Unisys. He said
that even the "included" software packaged with most scanners and digital
cameras is licensed. Use it, create all the GIFs you want with it, post
those GIFs to your heart's content, and relax. Unisys will not come after
you."
