The real reason animated GIFs are a bad idea

[Albert Kemp Jr.]

Roy's point is well made and the page to which he refers is a prime
example of how animated gifs can be "overused".  Perhaps, if the GIF
appeared only at the top of the page, and ran through the animation
once, without looping, the value of the informative content would not
be lost.  Just my humble opinion though..... :)

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Albert Kemp Jr.           [[][][]]   Net: akemp at library.uwaterloo.ca
Library Asst., Systems    [[][][]]   Web: http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/~akemp
University of Waterloo    [[][][]]   Fax: (519) 746-1758
Ontario, Canada  N2L3G1    ######
(519) 888-4567, x5377    [[](||)[]]
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On Wed, 13 Nov 1996, Roy Tennant wrote:

> This discussion of animated GIFs has been instructive, but now that we 
> have laid to rest the issue of impact on the server (there is none), I 
> feel it is necessary to point out that we should treat animated GIFs as we 
> would a gun. Some people will have nothing to do with them as a matter of 
> principle. Some people overuse them, thereby sometimes leading to 
> unfortunate consequences for anyone who comes in contact with them (often 
> friends and family). They should be used very judiciously and with care, 
> and only when nothing else will do. By way of example, I suggest you 
> visit the following page, which was pointed out to me by Thomas Dowling:
> 
> http://www.recordpub.com/rc/faq.html
> 
> I defy you to read the page. Your eye naturally wants to follow the 
> moving target, thus causing a constant distraction. Does it add to the 
> purpose of the page? I think not. Rather I think it *destroys* the 
> purpose of the page (which, I believe, is to inform, not to entertain). 
> Do you find it annoying? I do, and wild horses won't drag me back there. 
> Is that what they (or us) want? Not I. Decide for yourself.
> Roy Tennant
>