MegaPov 0.5a is now available for Windows and Mac (other versions will
follow from other developers).

PLEASE NOTE: GIF support has been removed due to the Unisys patent on LZW
decompression.  Please view the link at the end of this message if you want
to read what Unisys has to say about licensing.

The Windows version can be downloaded from:
http://nathan.kopp.com/patched.htm

The Macintosh version can be downloaded from:
http://users.skynet.be/smellenbergh

-Nathan

=== summary of changes ===
* removed GIF support (potential legal issues regarding the Unisys patent)
* fixed docs for pigment_pattern
* fixed disc problems (removed fastdiscpatch)
* fixed long filename support in the Windows version
* fixed interface-related bugs (Windows version moved to 3.1g interface)
* fixed bug with photons on average texture
* fixed bug with media method 3 when samples = 1
* fixed bug with parsing backwards compatibility and unofficial version
number
* added fastspherepatch
* added fastpolypatch
* fixed "bug" with mesh (MegaPov did not ignore degenerate triangles if uv
mapping was used in the triangle)
* fixed bug with ttf
* fixed bug with csqr

Here is the reason why GIF support has been removed:
http://www.unisys.com/unisys/lzw/default.asp

Post a reply to this message

> MegaPov 0.5a is now available for Windows and Mac (other versions will
> follow from other developers).

Excellent. Thanks again Nathan. Your efforts to maintain the program are
appreciated. God bless you.
>
> PLEASE NOTE: GIF support has been removed due to the Unisys patent on LZW
> decompression. Please view the link at the end of this message if you want
> to read what Unisys has to say about licensing.

Unisys idiots. They're diggin' their own grave. No problem. We'll just use
PNG then.


I'm off to download...

Post a reply to this message

Tony[B] <ben### [at] panamac-comnet> wrote...
> Unisys idiots. They're diggin' their own grave. No problem. We'll just use
> PNG then.

I'm glad you feel that way and I hope the other users will also understand.
Removing GIF functionality was a difficult decision to make, be we ended up
deciding to play it safe and not risk any lawsuits.

-Nathan

Post a reply to this message

"Nathan Kopp" <Nat### [at] Koppcom> wrote in message
news:3936d047@news.povray.org...
> MegaPov 0.5a is now available for Windows and Mac (other versions will
> follow from other developers).
>
> PLEASE NOTE: GIF support has been removed due to the Unisys patent on LZW
> decompression.

I have found Perl subroutines to
find out height and width of GIF and JPG.

As soon as I find such a subroutine
also for PNG, I change all my web sites.


--

Clear targets for a confused civilization
http://www.BeingFound.com
web design and seminars
+43 699 17343674

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So PNG rules now ??? ...

--

 ,',    Jan Walzer      \V/  http://wa.lzer.net     ,',
',','   student of      >|<  mailto:jan### [at] lzernet ',','
  '   ComputerScience   /A\  +49-177-7403863         '

Post a reply to this message

Nathan Kopp wrote:
> 
> Tony[B] <ben### [at] panamac-comnet> wrote...
> > Unisys idiots. They're diggin' their own grave. No problem. We'll just use
> > PNG then.
> 
> I'm glad you feel that way and I hope the other users will also understand.
> Removing GIF functionality was a difficult decision to make, be we ended up
> deciding to play it safe and not risk any lawsuits.

Was this a POV-Team decision or simply that of a patch writer ?

I for one will greatly miss the gif format if it is lost in the
official versions of the program.

-- 
Ken Tyler - 1400+ POV-Ray, Graphics, 3D Rendering, and Raytracing Links:
http://home.pacbell.net/tylereng/index.html http://www.povray.org/links/

Post a reply to this message

Ken wrote:
> 
> Nathan Kopp wrote:
> >
> > Tony[B] <ben### [at] panamac-comnet> wrote...
> > > Unisys idiots. They're diggin' their own grave. No problem. We'll just use
> > > PNG then.
> >
> > I'm glad you feel that way and I hope the other users will also understand.
> > Removing GIF functionality was a difficult decision to make, be we ended up
> > deciding to play it safe and not risk any lawsuits.
> 
> Was this a POV-Team decision or simply that of a patch writer ?
> 
> I for one will greatly miss the gif format if it is lost in the
> official versions of the program.


Me too.  As it is the only format with which I have been able to make
heightfields with the Gimp.

But even the Gimp only provide GIF support if you have purchased a
license from Unisys.  (Actually, they take your word for it, but you
wouldn't lie would you?)

-- 
Francois Labreque | The surest sign of the existence of extra-
     flabreq      | terrestrial intelligence is that they never
        @         | bothered to come down here and visit us!
  attglobal.net                                  - Calvin

Post a reply to this message

In povray.general Nathan Kopp <Nat### [at] koppcom> wrote:
: * removed GIF support (potential legal issues regarding the Unisys patent)

  I personally don't mind this.
  Actually that patenting nonsense is so irritating that this kind of
"boicot" feels only good.
  I will not miss gif support. Most programs nowadays support png, which is
better in every way (and AFAIK compresses better than gif).

  Now, some people may want some (still) free utilities to convert gifs to
pngs. Anyone know of any?

  And btw (to someone posting about gimp), gimp supports png. I don't see
the problem.

-- 
main(i,_){for(_?--i,main(i+2,"FhhQHFIJD|FQTITFN]zRFHhhTBFHhhTBFysdB"[i]
):5;i&&_>1;printf("%s",_-70?_&1?"[]":" ":(_=0,"\n")),_/=2);} /*- Warp -*/

Post a reply to this message

"Warp" <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote in message news:3937753c@news.povray.org...
| In povray.general Nathan Kopp <Nat### [at] koppcom> wrote:
| : * removed GIF support (potential legal issues regarding the Unisys patent)
|
|   I personally don't mind this.
|   Actually that patenting nonsense is so irritating that this kind of
| "boycot" feels only good.
|   I will not miss gif support. Most programs nowadays support png, which is
| better in every way (and AFAIK compresses better than gif).

Only annoyance to me would be the batch converting and then changing every
gif-containing scene file I have.  No small thing, but then if it can't be
helped I can muddle through okay.
I also have to mention that someone I know of was using 16-bit Gif in POV-Ray
but I never have so I don't understand it's format.  Was from a Fractint
output I believe, well actually I have no idea anymore.
Funny thing, I just looked at the Fractint home page and came across this
there:
http://burnallgifs.org/  Apparently all about this stuff being talked of.

|   Now, some people may want some (still) free utilities to convert gifs to
| pngs. Anyone know of any?

IrfanView does great: http://stud1.tuwien.ac.at/~e9227474/english.htm

Post a reply to this message

Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote...
>
>   Now, some people may want some (still) free utilities to convert gifs to
> pngs. Anyone know of any?

The MegaPov docs have two links (for unix and windows users).

>   And btw (to someone posting about gimp), gimp supports png. I don't see
> the problem.

POV also does support palletes for PNG files, so any of those features (like
"filter <index>") will still work if you use PNG.

-Nathan

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