Re: UnStuffing with ShrinkIt

[dempson@atlantis.actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <D3Hv4s.8wA@crash.cts.com>,
Randy Shackelford <shack@crash.cts.com> wrote:
> In article <3guj55$fnl@gap.cco.caltech.edu>,
> Nathan Mates <nathan@cco.caltech.edu> wrote:
> 
> >   As currently stands, no. The programmer of GS Shrink-It, Andy
> >Nicholas, is at Apple Computer Co., working on the latest Finder
> >and System X.Y.Z. (The numbers are classified until the marketing
> >department can have fun with them :)  The latest GSHK is more than
> >2 years old, and will probably never be updated by Andy Nicholas.
> 
> Someone oughtta talk him into releasing the source code to a person capable
> of making/keeping it current.

There is a possible legal problem: ShrinkIt uses a patented LZW
algorithm, and it may be necessary to license the algorithm from the
patentee (Unisys, I believe) if anyone else is to release a new
version.

I think that EGO Systems ran into this with their un-Shrink utility
"Balloon".

The ShrinkIt (NuFX) file format is publically documented (in
FTN.E0.8002), but the compression technique itself is patented.

> >   If someone could get the specs for the latest StuffIt/Stuffem
> >Deluxe/Compact Pro, it might be possible to make a GS version. As
> >these programs are rather copyrighted and published, it's unlikely
> >that anyone could get such info. Please try, though.
> 
> I wouldn't expect the actual file format to be under copyright.

No, but it might not be publically documented, and they might not be
prepared to release any information about the format.  It wouldn't
hurt to ask, though.
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand