LZW (named after the inventors Lempel, Zif and Welch) is a compression algorithm used among other things in [GIF], [TIFF] (when used with the corresponding options) and Unix' [compress].

The algorithm is patented by the company UNISYS.  In the mid-nineties, when the Internet took off and GIF became popular with web browser support, UNISYS began enforcing their patent, see http://www.unisys.com/about__unisys/lzw/.

According to the interpretation of the LPF at http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/Patents/Gif/Gif.html the UNISYS patent will expire in June 2003 (IANAL, and sources on the 'net are not really reliable for legal advice either, so don't depend on this opinion).

[BR]

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