[Freeciv-Dev] Re: MP3 Patent Issues

["Sam BC" <sambc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

but they had a patent on the actual format, I believe. No-one has such
patents on MP3. They only have patents on the encoding algorithm. The
standard for MP3 states that there is one format (open) one standard decoder
(standard) and people can do what they like, patented or otherwise, with
encoding algorithms.

The standard is arranged such that files and decoders are not affected by
any patents, which are in any case spurious (especially here in Europe).
There are some advantages to not being American...


SamBC

> -----Original Message-----
> From: freeciv-dev-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:freeciv-dev-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Greg Wooledge
> Sent: 02 July 2000 15:24
> To: Freeciv Development Mailing List
> Subject: [Freeciv-Dev] Re: MP3 Patent Issues
>
>
> Sam BC (sambc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) wrote:
>
> > Will people not believe that the audio format itself is not
> under any patent
> > problem, only encoding algorithms?????
>
> You might not be aware of the GIF issue.
>
> Last year, Unisys (which holds the patent on the LZW compression
> algorithm used in most GIF files) started trying to enforce its patent.
> Web sites which had GIF files on them either had to demonstrate that they
> had produced the GIF files using licensed (read: commercial) software,
> or cough up $5000 USD.
>
> For more details, see <http://burnallgifs.org/>.
>
> --
> Greg Wooledge                    | "Truth belongs to everybody."
> wooledge@xxxxxxxxxxx             |   Red Hot Chili Peppers
> http://www.kellnet.com/wooledge/ |
>