NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] For Shame: The Internet Cruelty Machine Torments GIF Inventor
For Shame: The Internet Cruelty Machine Torments GIF Inventor
http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/001033.html
I've never been quite sure what it is about the Net that tends to
bring out, amplify, and exacerbate the cruel, infantile, and snarky
side of so many people, including persons who really, seriously should
know better.
Perhaps they get caught up in the moment like a rioting crowd, and the
degrees of separation from "real life" -- allowing the easy spouting
of bile that most of them would never do in person -- is also in play.
But none of this is any excuse for acting like a jerk.
Case in point, the rampant, mean-spirited attacks now being widely
deployed against Steve Wilhite, who created the omnipresent "GIF"
graphics format in 1987 while at CompuServe. Still widely used for
conventional photos even in the face of more recent formats, it is the
backbone of repeating animated image displays, from funny cats to
serious diagrams.
A couple of days ago Steve -- who suffered a stroke in 2000 and now
primarily communicates using email over the Net itself -- accepted a
well-deserved lifetime achievement "Webby" award.
In the course of subsequent discussion, he noted his long-standing
belief that GIF -- a term we must remember he invented -- should be
pronounced with a soft G rather than a hard G -- not the first time
this issue has arisen by any means.
Immediately, the Web pounced in ridicule, with satirical articles,
obscene comments, and even a video whose producer claims is in fun but
just comes off crude and cruel -- like pulling wings off insects.
As it happens, I've always pronounced GIF with a hard G -- not Steve's
pronunciation. I always figured that since the G stood for Graphics,
the hard G made the most sense. And I'm not going to change that now.
But for the love of the Net and basic human decency, can't we give the
man an award -- someone who provided us with a tool that has become
part and parcel of the Web -- without tormenting him afterwards like
children during recess torturing another kid about the pronunciation
of his name?
As the creator of GIF, Steve Wilhite outranks us all when it comes to
what he feels is the "official" pronunciation. But you and I can
still pronounce GIF any way we choose, and we can do so without
behaving like asses.
Consider growing up just a little bit people, please.
--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein (lauren@vortex.com): http://www.vortex.com/lauren
Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility: http://www.pfir.org/pfir-info
Founder:
- Network Neutrality Squad: http://www.nnsquad.org
- PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com/privacy-info
- Data Wisdom Explorers League: http://www.dwel.org
- Global Coalition for Transparent Internet Performance: http://www.gctip.org
Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Google+: http://vortex.com/g+lauren / Twitter: http://vortex.com/t-lauren
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 / Skype: vortex.com
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