[Fsfe-ie] Videoshop Mark 2

[Niall Douglas]

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On 5 Dec 2003 at 15:45, adam beecher wrote:

> > I was under the impression that the patents on LZW compression (as
> > used in GIFs) and RSA encryption had now expired. If I'm right, I
> > think these should be removed from the diagram.
> >
> LZW has. Not sure about RSA, but I think you might be right.

RSA expired in 2000. It was invented in the UK but the Americans 
patented it and got all the money.

> > Also, could you produce a PNG version? This would look nicer and
> > should be viewable by most people.
> >
> Aren't there concerns about patents affecting PNG now? Or was that
> MNG? :)

It's getting hard to find an area of technology which /isn't/ 
affected by a patent! All you can do is work from what patents have 
actually been enforced, otherwise you couldn't possibly get any work 
done. And hope that when the lawyer's come calling you don't get 
caught out first and have an opportunity to backpedel.

> > I'm not sure what to think about the "India" comment at the end.
> > Would some of these patents apply to the client-side software (e.g.
> > Internet Explorer)? If so, maybe your clients (and Microsoft?!)
> > would have to move to India too!
> >
> I just don't like the idea of encouraging outsourcing! Stay over
> there, taking our jobs... :)

How about some text about the economic inevitability that there'll be 
no work for computer programmers in the west within 20 years! I just 
ordered another set of books on the economics of information and so 
might have a decent bibliography backing me up in future! :)

Cheers,
Niall





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