"This is not an official Google product." Can anyone explain this to me? It is posted under the Google organization. Are they just not actively supporting it?
And it's not actually called "Google Pik". Just "Pik".
Pik – a new lossy image format for the internet
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Re: Pik – a new lossy image format for the internet
#22Any patents on this?
It is licensed under Apache 2.0, so if Google has any patents on it they could not use them against users of this code or derivative code because of the terms of the license. This doesn't protect you from the several other irresolvable issues in software patents however.
Re: Pik – a new lossy image format for the internet
#23Unfortunate name if you happen to know Dutch.
In one company we named projects after mountains in the alps. One was called "Wank" until a few months later an English intern told us that maybe we should change this.
Re: Pik – a new lossy image format for the internet
#24"This is not an official Google product." Can anyone explain this to me? It is posted under the Google organization. Are they just not actively supporting it?
In addition to what other replies stated, you can read Google's documentation on how open source projects (official and unofficial are released) here: https://opensource.google.com/docs/
Re: Pik – a new lossy image format for the internet
#25Because Webp was such a success?
Not a failure either
Re: Pik – a new lossy image format for the internet
#26Can anyone explain if there is something particularly new or interesting about this image format? Or do I have to read the source code?
Re: Pik – a new lossy image format for the internet
#27"This is not an official Google product." Can anyone explain this to me? It is posted under the Google organization. Are they just not actively supporting it?
It's written by a Google employee, and therefore Google owns all rights to it. However, in all other respects it's just an open source project written and supported in the authors' free time.
How could Google own something written and supported in the authors' free time?
Re: Pik – a new lossy image format for the internet
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's written by a Google employee, and therefore Google owns all rights to it. However, in all other respects it's just an open source project written and supported in the authors' free time.
How could Google own something written and supported in the authors' free time?
Oppressive employment agreements
Re: Pik – a new lossy image format for the internet
#29yawn.. let us know when a major browser implements support for it...
Re: Pik – a new lossy image format for the internet
#30Can anyone explain if there is something particularly new or interesting about this image format? Or do I have to read the source code?
Yes, you would have to read the source code. My guess reading the README.md is that due to the dependencies in the README.md its a JPEG competitor that is fast due to HEVC. The README.md even says this is still experimental. This project really looks too immature to be posted on HN without a technical breakdown. (This is not to disparage the software but for people to remain interested there would have to be at least some benchmark and it would be nice with a visual comparison).