The GIF is officially 30-something, and in the prime of its internet life. Three decades ago, on June 15, 1987, the most beloved image file extension on the internet was birthed by a team of CompuServe developers seeking a way to compress images with minimal data loss.
When did GIFs get popular?
Already more than a decade old and with roots reaching to June 15th, 1987—half a decade before the World Wide Web itself—the GIF was showing its age. It offered support for a paltry 256 colors. Its animation capabilities were easily rivaled by a flipbook.
When was GIF file created?
GIF, in full graphics interchange format, digital file format devised in 1987 by the Internet service provider CompuServe as a means of reducing the size of images and short animations.
What was the first viral GIF?
The dancing 7-Up mascot “Cool Spot” also made a unconscionable number of appearances, making it perhaps the first viral #brand GIF. The file format also became the center of one of the web’s first patent disputes. In 1994, IT giant Unisys claimed to own the LZW protocol that Wilhite used in the GIF specification.
Who invented GIF animation?
Steve Wilhite is an American computer scientist who worked at CompuServe and was the primary creator of the GIF file format, which went on to become the de facto standard for 8-bit color images on the Internet until PNG became a viable alternative. He developed the GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) in 1987.
Are GIFs dead?
It may have been named “word of the year,” but as an image format, the GIF has never been less popular. Oxford American Dictionaries has named GIF, the acronym for graphical image format, its word of the year.
Why are GIFs so cool?
One reason GIFs are so attractive as an information medium is the degree of control they give the creator. Most people can capture, edit and post a GIF with little tono help. It’s a feature that makes GIFs attractive to a growing number of GIF artists like Lilly Padula.
Where is GIF normally used?
They are displayed in succession with varying frame rates to create short low-file-size animations. GIFs, by default, end on the last frame, though they are now more commonly seen looping. GIFs are popular on blogs, social media, and instant messaging applications, often used as emotive reactions.
Why is a GIF lossless?
Unlike the JPEG image format, GIFs uses lossless compression that does not degrade the quality of the image. However, GIFs store image data using indexed color, meaning a standard GIF image can include a maximum of 256 colors. … Both formats support animations by allowing a stream of images to be stored in a single file.
Why is it called a GIF?
The origins of GIF come from the words it stands for: Graphics Interchange Format, which come from the inventor, Steve Wilhite, who aligned the pronunciation with the pronunciation rule.
Is GIF outdated?
Honestly, GIF is a terribly outdated format. GIF files are 8-bit, which means that they’re restricted to 256 colors and almost always look like crap. The GIF format also doesn’t support semi-transparency, and GIFs often have a large file size (more than MP4 video files) because they’re uncompressed.
Are GIFs still a thing?
Reaction GIFs are so broadly recognized as fundamental parts of expression on social media that modern social media platforms, from Twitter to Slack, now support GIF searches through third-party GIF platforms like Giphy and Gfycat.
Is it pronounced GIF or Jif?
“It’s pronounced JIF, not GIF.” Just like the peanut butter. “The Oxford English Dictionary accepts both pronunciations,” Wilhite told The New York Times. “They are wrong. It is a soft ‘G,’ pronounced ‘jif.
What is a GIF vs meme?
The main difference between an animated gif and a meme is that memes tend to be static images that make a topical or pop culture reference and animated gifs are, more simply, moving images. You can find all the animated gif memes that your heart desires at website such as Giphy and Awesome Gifs.
Who invented GIF woman?
Black History Facts: Lisa Gelobter Founder of Graphics Interchange Format The ‘GIF” If you ever expressed a thought through a video image, or streamed video online through HULU and Shockwave, well, we have to credit African-American inventor Lisa Gelobter the genius in online animation.
What exactly is a GIF?
A GIF (Graphical Interchange Format) is an image format invented in 1987 by Steve Wilhite, a US software writer who was looking for a way to animate images in the smallest file size. In short, GIFs are a series of images or soundless video that will loop continuously and doesn’t require anyone to press play.