TIFF-FX issue and progress

As one of the "editors" of RFC 2301, the first time I heard anyone suggest
that TIFF-FX may be outside the scope of the 9/97 Adobe license was during
IETF Last Call late last year. This had not come up at all earlier during
the process and, in particular, did not come up when TIFF-FX went to
Proposed Standard, in spite of full participation in the WG by Adobe at that
time. Regardless, Xerox is willing to help move things forward from the
current impasse. Adobe has indicated that one way of addressing their
objection is to update the underlying TIFF specification so that they can
acknowledge that TIFF-FX is within the scope of the 9/97 license.  To help
achieve this end, Xerox is prepared to offer a royalty-free license with
customary terms and conditions, for the use of Xerox-owned IP in the
underlying TIFF specification in a way that is timely and compatible with
TIFF-FX. Removing a perceived barrier to making the TIFF-FX standard widely
available should make it possible for everyone--the IFax WG and those with
TIFF-FX products--to move on.

Rob Buckley