Re: [Savannah-hackers] RE: openvds: GIF files

[Loic Dachary]

Dave Cost writes:
 > >     Could you please remove the following GIF files from the project
 > > openvds hosted on the GNU machines ?
 > 
 > I understand the matter of gifs and their patent issues. However, the gifs
 > questioned are a copy of a standard apache icons directory which is included
 > as a template on the openvds project, as is obvious from this snipped:
 > 
 > ------------
 > openvds/site/linux/redhat/6.2/skel-repo/home/httpd/icons/a
 > openvds/site/linux/redhat/6.2/skel-repo/home/httpd/icons/alert.black
 > openvds/site/linux/redhat/6.2/skel-repo/home/httpd/icons/alert.red
 > openvds/site/linux/redhat/6.2/skel-repo/home/httpd/icons/apache_pb
 > openvds/site/linux/redhat/6.2/skel-repo/home/httpd/icons/back
 > openvds/site/linux/redhat/6.2/skel-repo/home/httpd/icons/ball.gray
 > openvds/site/linux/redhat/6.2/skel-repo/home/httpd/icons/ball.red
 > openvds/site/linux/redhat/6.2/skel-repo/home/httpd/icons/binary
 > openvds/site/linux/redhat/6.2/skel-repo/home/httpd/icons/binhex
 > -------------
 > 
 > I think that the apache group has sorted out the relative patent issues
 > before releasing the icons for public use as they do now (either by using a
 > non-compressed gif or by requesting permission for redistribution).
 > 
 > If I'm still forced to remove the files from the CVS or to convert them to
 > png I can do so.

        Please do. You'll need to update the srm.conf accordingly but
it's easy (we've done it on savannah.gnu.org for instance). The
rationale of not having GIF files on the GNU machines is explained in
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/gif.html and is only partly relevant to
technical & legal matters, it is also a way to protest against software
patents.

        Cheers,

-- 
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