July 18, 2002 (Thursday)
- Patents: Forgent Networks asserts that it owns and will enforce patent rights on the widely used JPEG image compression standard which is used widely on the World Wide Web. The announcement creates a furore remisicent of Unisys' attempts to assert its rights over the GIF image compression standard.
- Muslim missile engineer Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam is elected president of India, to be sworn into office July 25.
- This morning, Spain launches Operation Romeo-Sierra, a military attempt to take over the Perejil Island. The operation is successful.