>> So, technically you could argue that you're using LZW not to compress, 
>> but to obfuscate your data? A slight compression being just a 
>> side-effect :-)
> 
> Yes, exactly. If, for example, the steps you follow to do LZW 
> compression was one step of an encryption algorithm, it wouldn't be 
> encumbered by the patent.
> 
> If you're not compressing data with it, it's not patented. Just like if 
> you're not encryption data, modular exponentiation isn't patented.

Except that, of course, all of this is nonesense. In reality, as soon as 
you dare to *touch* LZW, the lawers will say "hey, that's patented", and 
threated to sue you off the face of the Earth. The fact that technically 
you haven't infringed anything is irrelevant. FUD.

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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