MapServer 3.3 Image Support

[Stephen Lime]

Try and convince someone on a 28.8 modem to spend 8 hours downloading
the new releases. I wish the would, but many won't. They're a vocal minority.
We visited this issue a couple of months ago on the mailing list. Most users were
in favor of seeing png supported, but most also wanted to see LZW GIF remain. 
The University is talking to Unisys about a freebie license for non-commercial use.
I'm not sure the status of those discussions.

I'll forward this to the list for general discussion.

Steve

Stephen Lime
Internet Applications Analyst

Minnesota DNR
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-297-2937

>>> Frank Koormann <fkoorman at usf.Uni-Osnabrueck.DE> 11/16/99 01:06PM >>>
Hi Steve,

* Stephen Lime (steve.lime at dnr.state.mn.us) [991116 16:43]:
> Png is a *big* drawback in my opinion. The most common browser on our 
> sites is still Netscape 3.0 so going to png is problematic, at least 
> for now. 

I know that there are some reasons to keep using Netscape 3.0 instead 
one of the never versions gratis available. However, I think there are many
more reasons to upgrade netscape. Only one of this is png support.

> I distribute MapServer with 1.2 cause it's about the only 
> place you can find it these days. 

Yes. As the authors explain this is due to some licence problems with
Unisys, the company which owns the patent for lzw image compression. 
Although they did not require licencing or fees in former years they now
changed (again) their opinion: 

	> In all cases, a written license agreement or statement signed by an 
	> authorized Unisys representative is required from Unisys for all use, 
	> sale or distribution of any software (including so-called "freeware") 
	> and/or hardware providing LZW conversion capability. 
	(excerpt from http://corp2.unisys.com/LeadStory/lzwfaq.html)
They claim that for "certain cases" no licence fees may be required, but
only on a bilateral agreement.

Not enough, Unisys now claims to demand licence fees for web sites if they
use gif-images created by a programm not covered by an appropriate licence.

Hence there is a lot of confusion around and web masters (also at the
University of Osnabrueck) are starting to ban gifs from the servers.

Read the complete story at http://burnallgifs.org 
(Ok, this sounds quite radical, but it IS a big issue.)

> Newer versions are readily available 
> and since it's easy to build with the new stuff instead I see no problem.  

I really would like to see your distribution of mapserver with png support
(and telling the people how to generate images of a different format, e.g.
gif). Otherwise you should put a clear disclaimer in your distribution to
recommend changing the format generation from gif to png and point out the
problems for the users. 

Hope this all sounds not too agressive. To my mind mapserer is an
excellent application but a free software not telling the users what 
issues might come up by using the software is a problem.

Greetings,

	Frank
-- 
Frank Koormann				         http://intevation.de/~frank 
 Intevation GmbH				 http://intevation.net/ 
 Institute of Environmental Systems Research 	 http://www.usf.uos.de/