New
#21
RTFM - create a new thread
SOL - looking for RTM links and keys at SF
OS - Other Sources for RTM links and keys not found at SF
VHD - Very Hard to Determine why someone is still looking for RTM links and keys at SF
ISO - In Search Of RTM links and keys at SF
ASAP - someone still looking for RTM links and keys at SF
RC - Really Could use a link to RTM and keys
PITA - T*n
SF - Stop F*n around with this thread
BAN - me, if I'm not careful
Last edited by Antman; 23 Jul 2009 at 15:23. Reason: Not italicized
The creators of the format pronounced GIF with a soft "g", /ˈdʒɪf/, as in "George".
However, many people pronounce GIF with a hard "G", as in a 'gift' /ˈɡɪf/, reflecting the way it is pronounced in its own acronym (Graphics Interchange Format).
According to the creator of the GIF format, Steve Wilhite, the pronunciation deliberately echoes that of an American peanut butter brand, Jif, and the employees of CompuServe would often say "Choosy developers choose GIF", spoofing this brand's television commercials.
This pronunciation was also identified by CompuServe in their documentation of a graphics display program called CompuShow.
Both pronunciations are given as correct by the Oxford English Dictionary and the American Heritage Dictionary.
source
Thanks, mickey! :) Good information there.
As for me, I'll continue to call it gif with a hard "g". The .gif formats is one of the few proprietary formats for images with a nasty copyright on it, and the "Jiff" pronounciation is just a marketing ploy that stuck. But it was almost outdated had it not included the transparency and animation features.
This is also why I hate Blu-ray and would have embraced HD-DVD had it not been killed by corporations a while back.
And to be example-happy, this is also why I buy digital cameras that accept AA batteries (I use AA rechargables) and SD memory for storage (though SD almost became proprietary had it not been reverse engineered). Down with proprietary formats!
CompuServe is gone, remaining, in part, as a brand name only. WorldCom is gone - good riddance. H&R Block remains after having played their interest in CompuServe into a 60 multiple lump sum.
CompuServe played every angle incorrectly, reason enough to say "Gee, I F'd up".
All copyrights to the underlying compression technology have expired worldwide.
Besides, GIFs do not smell like fresh roasted peanuts. They smell like ozone.