JUCS - Journal of Universal Computer Science 1(5): 312-319, doi: 10.3217/jucs-001-05-0312
Software Patents and The Internet
expand article infoJenny Shearer‡, Arnould Vermeer§
‡ HyperMedia Unit and Department of Political Studies University of Auckland, New Zealand§ Institute for Applied Computer Science I, University of Hagen, Germany

Corresponding author: Jenny Shearer ( jshearer@cs.auckland.ac.nz )

© Jenny Shearer, Arnould Vermeer.
This article is freely available under the J.UCS Open Content License.
Citation: Shearer J, Vermeer A (1995) Software Patents and The Internet. JUCS - Journal of Universal Computer Science 1(5): 312-319. https://doi.org/10.3217/jucs-001-05-0312
Open Access
Abstract
The attempt by Unisys to obtain royalties from the Lempel Zev Welch Graphics Interchange Format specification through Compuserve has wide implications for the Internet. Increased activity in the US software patents area is likely to result in damage to progress of the software arts and the Internet, and to generate upscaled protest from Internet users. The LZW GIF case highlights the Internet culture in favour of free and unfettered development. Clarification of this important principle will have a major effect on the future of the Internet.
Keywords
Software patents, debate, Internet, Compuserve, Unisys, LZW GIF