Battleangel

US Patent 4,558,302 has finally expired and the GIF format (or rather the LZW compression algorithm used within those files) is no longer under corporate control. Now it’s only a matter of time before international patents expire as well and the code will be universally free for all.

Read more about the Unisys/CompuServe GIF Controversy. Here is what Unisys has to say about the whole thing.

IMO this is a prime example of how malicious the patent system is. At least when in the wrong hands. We need to rework this for the future or humanity will always be trampling water because of a single greedy individual or corporation. It doesn’t benefit us as a species at all. Technocracy is the way to go.