From a freeware newsgroup discussion:
about the GIF format:
Twisted Brush (freeware) cannot import or write to gif format, probably because gif is a format which you have to pay licences to use. I just checked with Pixia (freeware), it has even more import formats, but not gif.
I checked in Paintshop pro 7 (payware), and it can import gif files. So PSP had probably paid for using gif files.
I checked Artweaver (newly updated freeware), and it can open gif files.
Maybe the status of gif files have changed lately, so older freeware programs have not used it but newer paint programs have started using the gif format.
Yes, a quick search confirms my hunch, from a web page:We were able to search the patent databases of the USA, Canada, Japan, and the European Union. The Unisys patent expired on 20 June 2003 in the USA, in Europe it expired on 18 June 2004, in Japan the patent expired on 20 June 2004 and in Canada it expired on 7 July 2004. The U.S. IBM patent expired 11 August 2006, The Software Freedom Law Center says that after 1 October 2006, there will be no significant patent claims interfering with employment of the GIF format."
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Roger J - 3 October 2006
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