Because the unix `compress' utility is patented (by two separate patents,
in fact), we cannot use it; it's not free software.

Therefore, the GNU Project has chosen a new compression utility, `gzip',
which is free of any known software patents and which tends to compress
better anyway.  All compressed files in the GNU anonymous FTP area
(prep.ai.mit.edu:/pub/gnu) have been converted to the new format.  Files
compressed with this new compression program end in `.gz' (as opposed to
`compress'-compressed files, which end in `.Z').

Gzip can uncompress `compress'-compressed files and `pack' files
(which end in `.z').  This is possible because the various
decompression algorithms are not patented---only compression is.

The gzip program is available from any GNU mirror site in shar, tar, or
gzipped tar format (for those who already have a prior version of gzip and
want faster data transmission).  It works on virtually every unix system,
MSDOS, OS/2, and VMS.


More information about the contents of the GNU archive may be found in
the file ``DESCRIPTIONS'' in this directory.