Z:gnu-www-ja-gif--3d4a6c-There is no special patent thr/en

There is no special patent threat to GIF format nowadays as far as we know; the patents that were used to attack GIF have expired. Nonetheless, this article will remain pertinent as long as programs can be forbidden by patents, since the same sorts of things could happen in any area of computing. See  our web site policies regarding GIFs, and our web guidelines.