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Copying conditions of the compression code

Markus Gutschke, gutschk@math.uni-muenster.de

1 July 1997


This document explains the copying conditions of the compressor code

The compression code as implemented in "lzhuf.c" was taken from a BBS program written by Joachim Schurig <jschurig@zedat.fu-berlin.de>. He states that the code can be used freely for programs that are covered by a "freeware" license. This probably includes both BSD style licenses and the GPL.

The code in "zloader.asm" is a reimplementation of the uncompressor. It has been written from scratch and is hereby placed under the conditions of the GNU General Public License (GPL). The algorithm is outlined in "compressor.sgml".

Thus, there are no copyright problems with using this code, but there still might be difficulties with software patents. These patents are not legal in most parts of the world, but if you live in a country that honors software patents then you should verify that using these algorithms is legally permitted. Unless you are absolutely sure, that there are no legal obstacles, you should use the code for educational purposes only (this assumes that your educational institution is exempted from patent laws). The author cannot be held responsible for using the program code in violation of applicable local laws.

If you are aware of patents that might affect the legality of using the code in some parts of the world, please let me know.


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