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The GIF has been around since the days The Cosby Show was still on the air and the original NES was king; however, it seems the GIF is experiencing a revival of sorts.
GIF was officially named Oxford Dictionary’s USA Word of the Year for 2012, earning the status as not only a noun, but a verb. According to Oxford, the official definition of GIF is: (verb) to create a GIF file of an image or video sequence, especially relating to an event. Be prepared as soon all the kids will be vying to make a GIF. Or maybe they’ve already started.
Created in 1987 by Steve Wilhite of CompuServe, the GIF has stood the test of time. No matter how you choose to pronounce the word, you can’t deny the GIF is everywhere these days. GIFS sure have come a long way since the under construction and dancing baby animations of yesteryear.
Do you think it’s time to jump on the bandwagon and make a GIF? Maybe you need a perfect Doctor Who reaction GIF to reply back to a coworker’s email or perhaps you want to start your own Golden Girls GIF-themed Tumblr.
One of the best ways to make a GIF is by using photo editing software like Photoshop. If you think about it, Twitter’s Vine app, which allows you to create a six second looping video, is really GIF-like in its own way.
If you don’t have Photoshop or don’t want to use Vine, here are other online GIF creators you could try out.
What are you waiting for? Tonight we’re gonna make GIFs like it’s 1999!
- MakeaGif — Simply upload your images to Makeagif.com and use them to create your GIF. Once you have the images uploaded, you can customize your GIF by changing the animation speed or resizing the images.
- Gickr — This site also allows you to upload images from your computer, or from Flickr, to make a GIF. There is also an option available to make a GIF from a YouTube video. All you do is provide the link to the video.
- GifNinja — Select the files you want to use for a GIF, including multiple images or a movie file. Once you are done, download your GIF and you are ready to share.
Paul Williams
Paul Williams brings a wide range of experiences to his writing. He worked extensively in technology, as a software engineer, technical writer, and now a technology writer. Known as the leader of one of the top American Spacerock bands, his forward-looking music continues to be heard all over the world.