Gif \Gif\, conj. [AS. See {If}.]
If. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
Note: Gif is the old form of if, and frequently occurs in the
earlier English writers. See {If}.
[1913 Webster]
GIF \GIF\, n. [Acronym from Graphics Interchange Format.]
(Computers)
1. The Graphics Interchange Format, one of the most popular
standardized formats for storing graphic data in binary
computer files. The standard has been revised several
times, and includes provisions for interlacing and
animating images. Its disadvantage is that it can store
only 256 colors. Compare {JPEG}.
[PJC]
2. (Computers) An image stored in GIF[1] format, or the file
in which the image is stored; as, he sent three GIF's with
lovely pictures of his children.
[PJC]
Graphics Interchange Format
GIF
GIF89
<graphics, file format> /gif/, occasionally /jif/ (GIF, GIF
89A) A standard for digitised {images} compressed with the
{LZW} {algorithm}, defined in 1987 by {CompuServe} (CIS).
Graphics Interchange Format and GIF are service marks of
{CompuServe} Incorporated. This only affects use of GIF
within Compuserve, and pass-through licensing for software to
access them, it doesn't affect anyone else's use of GIF. It
followed from a 1994 legal action by {Unisys} against CIS for
violating Unisys's {LZW} {software patent}. The CompuServe
Vice President has stated that "CompuServe is committed to
keeping the GIF 89A specification as an open, fully-supported,
non-proprietary specification for the entire on-line community
including the {World-Wide Web}".
{Filename extension}: .gif.
File format (ftp://peipa.essex.ac.uk/ipa/info/file-formats).
GIF89a specification
(http://asterix.seas.upenn.edu/~mayer/lzw_gif/gif89a.html).
See also {progressive coding}, {animated GIF}.
(2000-09-12)