PNG vs GIF....Formatting issues for databases ;-)

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
November 30, 2003

> You might want to try saving your file first as a GIF, then as a PNG
> file.
> Maybe some filter isn't propery set. Just guessing here...
> Anyway I think using PNG is great, as we Europeans still have a patent
> for
> some years. We use PNG in our system, and the results are really good.
> Attached you can see an example. Greetings, Bart Braem,
> www.ua.ac.be/bart.braem


Dear SW List, and Bart -
Thanks for this message, Bart. I have learned the following:

1. Your PNGs are small. But mine are large no matter what I do...I need
to figure out what is going on with my computer...And Bart, I did save
them as very small GIFs as you suggested first, and the PNGs made from
them are three times the size...so that is not the problem...but thanks
for the suggestion...

2. PNG, if it is prepared correctly as Bart just did, does not crash
the SW List...In the past, we had problems with PNG attachments, but
now I am suspecting that it was the formatting problem I am having on
my computer with PNG that was the problem, and not the PNG format
itself...so for those who prefer to use PNG on the SW list, go right
ahead...I am afraid to, until I can figure out why I cannot make good
PNGs...I will call Adobe to ask them what they think is going on...

3. I believe, Bart, that you do not have to worry about using GIFs,
even if all the patents are still strong in Europe...why? Because there
is a difference between creating individual GIFs for the web or for a
database, and programming GIF formatting inside software - two totally
different issues. CompuServe GIF had issues when you build brand new
software using their format, but just making a diagram and posting it
to the SW List in GIF does not enfringe upon their patents...At least
that was what we were told by lawyers back when we were developing
SignWriter DOS, and at that time the GIF patents were still strong in
the USA...but we were told not to build it into new software, unless we
contracted with them...of course we could not afford to do that, so we
built in "exporting to bmp" instead of GIF....but that was a long time
ago, and now those patents are no more, in the US. And I do not believe
that the owners of those patents will single you out, in Europe and
take you to court...there are just too many people using GIF all the
time, for them to enforce their patents like that...it would cost them
a fortune to take Europeans to court...I don't believe they will do
that!

It is very acceptable in the FileMaker world...all over the globe...not
just in the USA...to use GIF in both Windows and Mac formats...so I
know plenty of people in Europe who use GIFs with no problems.

But having said all this, if you prefer PNG that is fine with me! I
just can't use it myself at the moment, since I get nothing but HUGE
files that are unacceptable...I believe that PNG needs a little time to
standardize better between operating systems...if I find a magic
solution I will write again about it...Thanks for the suggestion...;-)

Val ;-)