17.1 C
New Delhi
Friday, November 22, 2024
HomeTechStephen Wilhite, creator of the GIF, dies at 74

Stephen Wilhite, creator of the GIF, dies at 74


New Delhi: Stephen Wilhite, the creator of the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) format in the 1980s, died due to Covid-19 related issues. Wilhite, one of America Online‘s primary architects, died on March 14 — just days after his 74th birthday which was on March 3.


“Even with all his accomplishments, he remained a very humble, kind, and kind man,” his
obituary page said. Wilhite devised the Graphics Interchange Format, or GIF, in 1987 while working at Compuserve. Years later, his innovation became the principal means of expressing emotion and memetic communication on various social media platforms.

The Oxford American Dictionary named GIF the word of the year in 2012. He was honoured with a Webby Lifetime Achievement award in 2013.

The internet has argued how to pronounce GIF over the years. When he received the Webby Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013, he put an end to the argument. It’s pronounced “jif”, he communicated using a GIF.

According to his obituary note, Wilhite is survived by his wife, four stepchildren, a son, 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Discover the stories of your interest

Stay on top of technology and startup news that matters. Subscribe to our daily newsletter for the latest and must-read tech news, delivered straight to your inbox.



Source link

- Advertisment -

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE..

Our Archieves