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- 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.
-