Traveller-digest     Sunday, September 12 1999     Volume 1999 : Number 1092



(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.
All rights reserved.

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: GT:First In Terraforming
Re: Science Q: Star Position Accuracy
Re: FW: Starship miniatures
Re: GIF's & copyright
Re: GIF's & copyright
Re: GIF's & copyright
Important Request for Info
Re: Question regarding software for Traveller gaming
Re: Handling a new technology in a game
Re: Important Request for Info
Re: MegaTraveller ship design help...
Re: WotC & Hasbro
[BITS] Request for reviews
Re: Fw: [gwmg] - Re: Fw: WoTC
Re: Handling a new technology in a game
Re: re; Tanstaafl
Re: WotC and Hasbro
Re: WotC & Hasbro
Re: GIF's & copyright
Re: GIF's & copyright

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 03:25:21 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: GT:First In Terraforming

In mail you write:

> On Sat, 11 Sep 1999, JFZeigler@aol.com wrote:
>>
>> First off, there are a couple of things that First In takes into account
>> that earlier versions of Traveller didn't.  One of them is stellar age.  
> If 
>> you want to just assume that all stars are about 4-5 billion years old 
>> you'll get more habitable planets.

> If you look at the editorial for JTAS 5, it implies that CT assumes all 
> systems
> to be in population 1 anyway (or at least that such a decision was under
> consideration).
>
> Maybe this could be incorporated within Jumpspace theory such that the Jump
> network only connects pop1 stars.

It doesn't make much difference, as Pop II stars are almost exclusively
found in the galactic core and in the globular clusters surrounding the
galaxy, and very rarely found in the galactic "disk". 

Pop II stars would only be of use for refueling, as they are first
generation stars with maybe a sprinkling of second generation. That
means too things. First, the are most around 15 billion years old.
Secondly they are *exclusively* hydrogen and helium. No heavier
elements at all.

Thus anything with even Sol's mass will have gone thru the redgiant
stage and wound up as a white dwarf. And any planets will be gas giants.

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 03:31:31 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: Science Q: Star Position Accuracy

In mail you write:

> At 06:23 AM 9/11/99 PST, you wrote:
>>In mail you write:
>>
>>> For all you professional (or unprofessional ...) astronomers out
>>> there, I have a quick question: how accurately do we know the
>>> positions of various stars, relative to earth? Specifically, I
> need
>>> to figure out how accurately you could figure your position based
>>> solely on star pattern matching.
>
>>The answer is not so simple trig. We figure the parallax. That is,
> we
>>figure the apparent change in position over the course of a year. At
>>one parsec, the position change is one second of arc. 
>         
>         Sorry, maybe I wasn't clear--I'm familiar with the mathematical
> underpinning. I'm trying to figure out how accurately, right now
> (1999), a spacecraft with star trackers could determine its position
> at any given time within our solar system, strictly based on star
> mapping. In other words, all I'm looking for is how well we know the
> position of various stars? I can find out the accuracies of the star
> trackers themselves. Together, the two will tell me how big the error
> volume is.

Accurate enough to allow all the planetary missions so far. As far as I
know, that sort of star tracker setup *is* how the probes navigate. 

But I think they use it for *orientation*, I doubt it's acuurate enough
for *positioning*. 

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 03:37:59 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: FW: Starship miniatures

In mail you write:

> Actually, Rafm will do custom runs of stuff, if you order enough
> miniarures. I think their current requirements are 250+ copies of the same
> figure, with half payment required before they start the work. You could
> write and ask. (Of course, their license may also have expired.)

Over on the Space:1889 list, they've made arrangements with RAFM to do
runs of the Space:1889 minis. You'd have to ask someone else for
details, but essentially they showed RAFM that there was enough
iunterest, and arranged to have one person on the list handling the
ordering. So the people send orders to him, he consolidates them, RAFM
ships the resulting mins out to hoim, and he mails everybody the ones
they ordered. 

I think he's on this list. :-)

Anyway, if you *really* want the old minis reproduced, you may be able
to work a similar deal. They don't mind "low volume" orders as long as
they are also low *hassle*. 

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 04:36:38 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: GIF's & copyright

In mail you write:

>     Just thought I should mention this. Apparently Unisys is threatening to 
> sue anybody you uses GIFs on their web sites if it's not made by software 
> that has licensed the format from them (and of course there is no list of 
> official software that has purchased this license), so if you can't prove 
> your site uses GIFs created by software that has been licensed you are open 
> to a lawsuit (and you need to prove that all the Gif's where licensed).

Actually it's the LZW compression used in GIF files that has to be
licensed. 

This is why I encourage folks to support PNG. Like GIF it's a lossless
format, but it's been updated to allow higher resolutions *and* more
colors. And it gets better compression. 

Another interesting format to look at is RIP. It started out as a BBS
format, but the company has a plugin available so it can be used on web
pages. It's not pixel based. Instead it sends short strings that code
for various sorts of line (including bezier curves. It also has support
for icons which get sent to your system once and are then stored
locally (the plugin includes a library of standard icons). and it has
some sound capabilities. 

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 04:42:05 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: GIF's & copyright

In mail you write:

>>     Just thought I should mention this. Apparently Unisys is threatening 
> to 
>> sue anybody you uses GIFs on their web sites if it's not made by software 
>> that has licensed the format from them (and of course there is no list of 
>> official software that has purchased this license), so if you can't prove 
>> your site uses GIFs created by software that has been licensed you are 
> open 
>> to a lawsuit (and you need to prove that all the Gif's where licensed).
>
> Whatta buncha wankers.
>
> When'd H & R Block (former owners of Compu$erve) let go of the copyright for 
> the format?

No. What happened was that the *compression* algorithm used in GIF is
LZW encoding. Like a lot of other folks, CIS used it because it was
efficient, and it'd been published. 

What nobody knew was that the company the author worked for had filed
for a *patent* on the algorithm. They got granted the patent a few
years back (1990?). At which point they started sending out notices to
everyone in sight informing them that they had to either pay royalties
or cease using the algorithm. 

CIS got some bad press over it, because folks misunderstood an attempt
they made to lessen the damage for people working with GIF files. What
they did was make arrangments for a special "group license", so that
folks writing programs that worked with GIF files could get the
required license from Unisys at a reduced rate. 

Naturally, some *idiot read this and concluded that it was all a CIS
plot to milk money out of folks. <sigh>

One thing that *did* come out of this was an agreement that GIF
*viewing* programs didn't need a licence, but GIF creation programs
did. Unisys also agreed to "grandfather" things so that only *new*
programs or new *versions* of old programs had to pay. 

I'm fairly certain that Unisys can't do anything to you for having a
GIF made by an unlicensed program. But a lot of programs leave a sort
of "signature" intentional or otherwise in the GIFs they create. They's
why two GIF files can be different yet produc the *exact* same image. 

If they can show you are *using* an unlicensed program, then they can
nail you for a fair amount of money. 

In reaction to all this, a project was started to come up with a
replacement for GIF. They did a good job. It's called PNG (Portable
Network Graphics). Like GIF, it's lossless. That is, if you convert a
BMP or TIFF or other such "raw pixel" format to a PNG file, and then
convert back, the result will be pixel for pixel identical with the
original. 

Unlike GIF, PNG supports more than 256 colors. I don't know the limits,
but it goes to at least 16 million. I think it'll support larger images
(more pixels). And it usually gets better compression than GIF. 

It just need more support. Viewers and converters are out there, you
just have to look a bit.


- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 04:56:58 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: GIF's & copyright

In mail you write:

> They didn't.  Unisys owns the patent on the LZW (I think thats the
> one) compression method that CIS used in creating GIF.  Therefore any
> software implementing GIF owes Unisys a royalty.  Sad, GIF made the
> web a reality and Unisys is being despirate.

Unisys is being a bunch of underhanded bastards. You see, they
*published* the LZW algorithm, and made no mention of the fact that
they'd filed for a patent on it (which should never have been granted,
but that's another rant). 

So, everybody and his brother uses this neat algorithm. The patent
office plods along and around 5 years later they grant the patent. At
which point Unisysy gleefully starts sending letters to folks informing
them that they have to pay up or else. 

If they'd put a "patent pending" note in the article, folks would have
had fair warning. Alas, the law doesn't require it, just that you file
for the patent within 12 months(?) of publication.

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 08:30:41 -0500
From: "Andrew Akins" <igor@truserve.com>
Subject: Important Request for Info

I'm working on a project for SJG, and would like some help with part of
it....

Can anyone give me canonical, non-DGP references to the following worlds in
the Spinward Marches (aside from the CT data in Supplement 3 and Behind the
Claw):

Mora/Mora
Alell/Regina
Dhian/Aramis
Rech/Lanth
Raydrad/Trin's Veil

Thank you very much...

+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Andrew Akins                                                       |
| Home: igor@truserve.com - http://www.truserve.com/~igor/           |
| Work: andya@cms-gt.com - http://www.cms-gt.com/                    |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| IMTU: tg++(**) tc+ ru+ ge 3i+ jt- st au ls+ kk++ hi+ as+ va+ dr++  |
|       so+ zh+ vi+ da+                                              |
| Geek: GCS d- s+:+ a- C++ W++ w+++(-)$ PS+ PE t- 5++ X+ R+++ tv+    |
|       b+++ DI+ D-- G e++ h---- r+++ y++++                          |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 10:35:23 -0300
From: Michel Vaillancourt <misha@empire.atlantic-online.ns.ca>
Subject: Re: Question regarding software for Traveller gaming

At 11:14 PM 11/09/1999 -0700, you wrote:
>     As for data formats for characters, ships, etc. I would certainly
>like to get your input on how best to approach these.  I would like to
>focus on making them workable for Classic Traveller first with the
>ability to adapt to other systems.  I would especially need help with
>Gurps Traveller issues.

        I am currently creating a CT ship design program and am in the
process of working out a abstracted file format that ought to be fairly
portable.  Paul Schrif (hi Paul!) has provided some wonderful inspiration
and concepts for a good way to do this.

>     Thanks
>bmallory@earthlink.net

        --Michel

	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-
	Michel R. Vaillancourt	misha@atlantic-online.ns.ca
				ICQ # 31172292
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-
	    NET-City Communications....
	         Providing "Solutions for the Common Company"
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-
	***REMEMBER - Always virus-check your emails ***
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 05:09:26 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: Handling a new technology in a game

In mail you write:

> I wouldn't point anything out to *those* players.  I would run
> them through a very short game where they all died...
>
> Player 2: "You can't just say we are dead!"
>
> GM:  "Sure I can, You're all dead and none of your efforts do more
> than make your death more painful."
>
> Hell, the star in the system they are in would go nova in a
> heartbeat if any players acted like that.  If I had players that
> acted like that I'd go looking for some other people to play with.

I recall a D&D game lo, these many years ago. The players had been
getting annoying in some manner or other and finally they hit the
limit. 

Me: Suddenly, the corridor is hip deep in a strong smelling yellowish
    liquid... 

They got the point. 

BTW, blowing up the system is overkill. I'd go more for something like
"You were too busy arguing to notice the decompression warning. You all
died when the promenade had a massive blowout due to shoody materials
and poor maintenance."

And then, even if they insisted that their new characters be the heirs
of the old ones, I can tell them that the ship and everything else is
going to be tied up in litigation for the next 20 years or so. :-)

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 15:50:00 +0100
From: Ewan Quibell <E.D.Quibell@bton.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: Important Request for Info

Andrew Akins wrote:
> 
> I'm working on a project for SJG, and would like some help with part of
> it....
> 
> Can anyone give me canonical, non-DGP references to the following worlds in
> the Spinward Marches (aside from the CT data in Supplement 3 and Behind the
> Claw):
> 
> Mora/Mora
> Alell/Regina
> Dhian/Aramis
> Rech/Lanth
> Raydrad/Trin's Veil
> 
> Thank you very much...

Dhian/Aramis is served by both Tukera and Imperiallines (Traveller
Adventure page 135 to 137)

Ewan
- -- 

   Ewan Quibell                       Their's not to make reply,
   Senior Communications Engineer     Their's not to reason why,
   Computer Centre                    Their's but to do and die:
   University of Brighton             Into the valley of Death
                                      Rode the six hundred.
   E.D.Quibell@brighton.ac.uk              Alfred, Lord Tennyson

   #include<stddisclaimer.h>

   My spelling is entirerly due to dyslexia, typos, and poetic license

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 13:46:08 +0100
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com>
Subject: Re: MegaTraveller ship design help...

"Paul Zumstein" <pzumstein@hotmail.com> writes:

>Sounds like you're doing it correctly.  MT ships tend to need large power
>plants and huge fuel reserves for a decent cruise duration.  Try to make use
>of lower power weapons (missles, etc.).  You might have to drop the cruise
>duration down to 20 days or so to make most designs profitable.

Put in a main powerplant to meet running demands/jump etc. Put a second
powerplant with a short duration (say 1 day) of fuel to meet the combat
demands. ISTR that this was suggested as an official idea in Imperiallines
1 (which was a GDW backed thing)...


Dom

- ----------Dom Mooney---dom@cybergoths.u-net.com------------
                       MiB - Marines in Battledress
   "Protecting the Imperium from the Scum of the Galaxy"
Rob Prior's Mac software @ http://www.bits.org.uk/ 

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 14:06:01 +0100
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com>
Subject: Re: WotC & Hasbro

Peter Newman <pnewman@gci.net> writes:
>[This message is from my personal point of view and does not
>necessarily reflect the views and opinions of my employers.]

[This response reflects my personal view and does not in any way reflect
the position of BITS UK Ltd].

>If your name is not WOTC, TSR, Palladium, FASA, or SJG I may
>not return your calls. [I prefer to work via fax, with a fax
>you do not have to waste time on the phone or on the web,
>with a fax it is all right there for me.]

Peter,

First of all, can I just state that my previous comments were not in any
way meant as a comment on yourself or your company.

>I love Traveller and I considered selling BITS products.
>Last year I asked them to fax me their terms and policies.
>When I discovered that their minimum orders were more than I
>thought I could sell, I told them no thanks (albeit not as
>rapidly as I should have). Remember that distributors sell
>to stores at good discounts.  When SJG sells BITS over the
>web they charge full retail, that is part of what enables
>them to sell BITS products profitably (I am assuming it is
>profitable for them).

I know that there was no issue with your response. The minimum orders arise
from a similar position at the OEM - we have to charge a certain amount to
make a profit when shipping across the pond... I assume that SJG are making
a profit on the BITS products - they keep on reordering, and though SJ like
Traveller, I don't think they're acting as a charity ;-)

>If a new company tried to sell me a product this year I
>would tell them to send me a fax with the information I
>needed.  If I did not get this fax, if it did not have the
>information I need [Not just retail price, but wholesale
>discount, case quantity, minimum order size, freight
>policies, reliable contact numbers, etc.], or if I did not
>think we could make a profit with their products I would
>probably never get back to them.

Again, Peter, you were clear about the information you needed, and very
helpful. The issue I refered to in the original post refers to several of
the bigger distributers, who had expressed an interest. At present the
biggest issue I see people on this list posting about is that their FLGS
can't get certain books, won't get certain books or doesn't know that
products exist. If there is a lack of understanding at the retail point of
sale as to what is on the market, it results in reduced opportunities to
buy and sell. Sadly I think it is an issue that needs resolving through
distribution... I know of other companies in the UK and Europe who are
setting up their own distribution routes into North America because the
larger distributers are not conducive to getting product out.

If the companies to whom I was refering were as good as you were in
bothering to respond, I would have no real problem. But all we see from
over here is a fragmented, disorganised distribution chain. I suppose that
the UK, having two main distributers has a better clarity.

[This response reflects my personal view and does not in any way reflect
the position of BITS UK Ltd].

Cheers,

Dom

- ----------Dom Mooney---dom@cybergoths.u-net.com------------
                       MiB - Marines in Battledress
   "Protecting the Imperium from the Scum of the Galaxy"
Rob Prior's Mac software @ http://www.bits.org.uk/ 

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 16:07:04 +0100
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com>
Subject: [BITS] Request for reviews

BITS - British Isles Traveller Support

http://www.bits.org.uk/


I've just been looking at Freelance Traveller (linked from Jumpsite @ BITS,
on downport.com, etc) and I took a look at the review section ('critic's
corner'). Several BITS products are reviewed here, but there are a few
gaps. I'd appreciate it if those of you who own a copy of:

101 Religions
The Khiidkar Incident
SpaceDogs

would consider writing a brief review for Jeff's excellent webzine. This
would serve to give people a balanced review of BITS products beyond our
own site. I can't offer anything for doing it (and wouldn't if I could
because I feel it is wrong to pay for reviews) but you would have my
thanks, and help serve the Traveller community.

If people want to review the other books for www.rpg.net too, that would be
really useful.

Thanks,

Dom

- -------------Dom Mooney---webmaster@bits.org.uk----------------
                 BITS - British Isles Traveller Support.
 http://www.bits.org.uk/              mailto:bits@bits.org.uk
Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.
GURPS is a registered trademark of Steve Jackson Games, Inc.
BITS and CORE are trademarks of BITS UK Limited.
All rights reserved.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 07:50:04
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: Fw: [gwmg] - Re: Fw: WoTC

At 01:20 AM 9/12/1999 -0400, you wrote:

> Just curious:  How certain are you that WoTC owns Andon?
>
> AFAICT it's a separate company altogether.

WOTC bought Andon in 1997, IIRC, and have run the previous two GenCons and
Origins.
- -- 

Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 07:56:23
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: Handling a new technology in a game

At 05:09 AM 9/12/1999 PST, you wrote:
>In mail you write:
>
>> I wouldn't point anything out to *those* players.  I would run
>> them through a very short game where they all died...

>I recall a D&D game lo, these many years ago. The players had been
>getting annoying in some manner or other and finally they hit the
>limit. 
>
>Me: Suddenly, the corridor is hip deep in a strong smelling yellowish
>    liquid... 
>
>They got the point. 

Running MegaTraveller several years back, the players kept complaining that
I wasn't being "realistic" enough.. that they should be able to get away
with all sorts of mayhem because of some specialized player knowledge.

Finally, I had enough.  At their next stop, they were jumped by well
organized and trained bounty hunters, who took them back to Regina in low
berths, where they stood trial for multiple murders.  The evidence was
mainly hair and skin found in the victims' residence, along with some blood
spatters.  They were convicted, and sentenced to life terms.  When the
whining began, I handed them a book on DNA testing and told them that what
I did was tre' realistic.
- -- 

Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html

People want anarchy for about five minutes. Then they
want a backrub and some money.  - Bruce Sterling

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 08:01:13
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: re; Tanstaafl

At 10:14 AM 9/12/1999 +0100, you wrote:
>There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch
>
>First place I see it mentioned is in Heinlein's outstanding book, The Moon
>is a Harsh Mistress.  Where it is a common saying (indeed a description of
>the entire society) and  becomes the motto of the new nation (The Moon).  An
>excellent read and would make an outstanding mini campaign or just
>incidental place to visit.

There's also Niven's Tanj, or There Ain't No Justice
- -- 

Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 08:09:48
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: WotC and Hasbro

At 10:13 PM 9/11/1999 -0500, you wrote:
>On 09/10/99 at 04:25 PM,  scharlto@ifsna.com said:

>Any celebrity Traveller's lurking out there?  Nah, I thought not. <g>

Not so fast!  Anna Kreutzman, daughter of Grateful Dead drummer Bill
Kreutzman, is a gamer and fan. She once told me that she had GM'd her dad,
Mickey Hart, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir through Twilight's Peak.

For those not into the Dead, those are all band memebers.

Oh, to have been in that game...

- -- 
Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html

I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone,
but they've always worked for me.
             -- Hunter S. Thompson

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 11:32:58 -0400
From: Kurt Feltenberger <kurt@blazenet.net>
Subject: Re: WotC & Hasbro

At 08:21 AM 9/12/99 -0400, you wrote:

> > The store owners might want to consider a lawsuit.
> >
> > - --
> > Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
> >  shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
> > leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort
> >
>
>         This is the 3rd or 4th time you have recommended suing someone in as
>many days. And though lawsuits are a legal and accepted manner of
>handling disputes, the fact that there are so many of them is one of the
>things wrong with this county. There has to be a better method of
>conflict resolution than physical violence or legal violence.
>
>         ObTrav: If the citizens of the 3I had the lawsuit happy nature of
>today, it would have collapsed under the weight of lawyers about year
>400. So how do these issues get resolved.

It would have but for the Great Lawyer Hunt in 396.  No bag limit or size 
limits and baiting and using Vargr was allowed!

;-)

Kurt Feltenberger
kurt@blazenet.net
Morrow Project Campaign http://www.sol-3.net
WT-L Support Pages http://www.sol-3.net/wt-l

"To our Country! In her intercourse with foreign nations,
      may she always be in the right, but our country, right or wrong!"
~Stephen Decatur

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 11:56:47 -0500
From: "Bont" <felix@felixcafe.com>
Subject: Re: GIF's & copyright

> Interesting, but how can they prove you've used software that doesnt have
> the license? and without providing a list of what software does have the
> license, how can they sue?

In some gif formats you can put a in description field.  If you have a 
good gif reader, you can see what the description says.  Some 
licensed gif creation programs put a copyright notice in that gif.  
Something like, "Created with SuperDuper GIF Maker 1.1"

I am not up to speed on the different gif standards but I have seen 
this in at least one.  IIRC, it was an animated gif maker.




- - - -
FELIX (Thomas L Bont)

- - Encrypt your messages!
  That way only the government knows what you wrote!

- - It is truly the wise man that knows what he doesn't!

- - With your shield or on it ... (Old Spartan Blessing)

- - Fidelitas super omnia, honore excepto

- - Help Stop Forest Fires.  Outlaw Matches.

Be sure to visit The FELIX Cafe at
     http://www.felixcafe.com/

- - - -

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 13:17:20 -0400
From: "Terry Carlino" <carlino@home.com>
Subject: Re: GIF's & copyright

>Interesting, but how can they prove you've used software that doesnt
>have the license? and without providing a list of what software does
>have the license, how can they sue?

They're certainly not interested in whether or not Terry C's web page gif's
are licensed or not. First they went after Coral, and squeezed an
undisclosed amount from them.  I expect they might go after some major web
sites, like Yahoo or Excite, or some web advertisers, that are using gif's.
They want $5000 per gif. I'm waiting to see if they have the kahoona's to go
after Microsoft (Paint can save in gif format.) Do you think Gates and
company bought a license from them?

Talk is there's a gif burning planned by the League for Programming Freedom
(LPF), which is closely related to the GNU project (LPF was co-founded by
GNU leader Richard Stallman).  No exact details yet.
Goto:
http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/
for details.

I recommend converting you gif's to another format, if you can. I'm headed
that direction myself.

Terry C

All that is Gold does not glitter
Not all who travel are lost

------------------------------

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1092
***********************************

To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:

unsubscribe traveller-digest

in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.imagiconline.com".
If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is
coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that
address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe
"local-traveller":

subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net

A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to
subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"
in the commands above with "traveller".

Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com
