[TomGuy]

Unisys found that out. After a decade of free use of the GIF format, they tried to cash in and put the genie back in the bottle. Forgent with JPG is trying to do the same thing. Both companies are using "loopholes" to try to cash in on big dollars. Forgent will find themselves in a similar situation as Unisys. PNG will probably get another push, or some kid will develop an imaging software that will put GIF and JPG to shame.

[okie01]

"Unisys found that out. After a decade of free use of the GIF format, they tried to cash in..."

Wouldn't trademarks be analogous to patents? In the case of trademarks, I know that if the owner does not assert his rights for ten years, he no longer owns the trademark.

Period.

Why wouldn't the same apply to a graphic algorithm?