gif controversy

i've been hearing more and more about this lately. i just wondered if you all had.

i'm pretty sure its not a rumor.

i've read that the software makers (adobe, etc) pay to license it and if you use that software you are fine. it's not likely that web designers everywhere will have to pay to use em. there are paranoid people out there who have totally abandoned all use of gifs. i'm suprised they have internet access in their remote cabins.

i like gifs...so clean...so sharp. i don't like jpegs so much. too messy, too unpredictable.