Introduction to GIF

In addition to the compressed format and 8-bit color features of the GIF format which yield small file sizes making it an appropriate format for web images, the GIF format has other features which make it an ideal web image format. This brief introduction to the creation and use of GIF images for the web will cover three topics:
- Transparent GIFs
Allows for parts of an image to be transparent allowing background images and text to be visible within the image.
- Interlaced GIFs
Allows an image to be downloaded such that, the image can be viewed before it is completely transferred.
- Animated GIFs
Provides for the combining of several gif images into one file, displayed sequentially for cell-animation.
Further Study / Resources
Transparent GIF Links
Paint Shop Pro Pro Tutorial (MS Windows)
LView Pro Tutorial (MS Windows)
Transparent GIF Instructions (UNIX)
Transparency GIF Tool (Mac)
Yahoo's Collection of Tools
Interlacing Imaging Links
WebImage (MS Windows)
Interlace GIF Pictures (Mac)
Interlacing GIF Hints (UNIX)
Tool Archive
GIF Animation Tools
Yahoo Animation Collection
GIF Animation on the WWW
Technical GIF Animation Info
GIF-89a Technical Specifications
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