The TIFF-Hungry

[Karen G. Schneider]

"Karen Schneider's TIFF-hungry patent searchers will also be happy about
paragraph (m):..."

I should clarify that we are providing the TIFF plug-in in anticipation of a
need, not in response to it.  Having done patent and trademark reference, I
believe ardently in providing this kind of information.  To this end, I have
installed AlternaTIFF on our new workstations, and since IE treats it like a
browser plug-in it works just fine, even under Fortres.  I am still
irritated at the comments on the USPTO page--pretty much "roll your own TIFF
viewer"--and have one eyebrow tilted at the notion of using TIFF in the
first place.

The guideline TD cites appears to give organizations an easy out.  So you
can't see our webpage?  Install Flash or Shockwave.  You can't see our
graphics?  Install a TIFF viewer.  Etc.  Will the agency be required to
prove that a plug-in or similar proprietary viewer was "required?"  What if
something else works equally well or better without requiring additional
plug-ins--wouldn't that be better access?  What if it's just pointless
frippery, lack of resources, fascination with recent gizmos, etc?  Who
decides?

Karen G. Schneider kgs at bluehighways.com
Assistant Director for Technology
Shenendehowa Public Library, NY
www.shenpublib.org