Some years ago I was speaking to a group of designers and computer authors, and had the opportunity to talk about GIF files.

#86 _Gif or Jif? that is the question

__ Interesting how people in the audience like to make comments, and as a seasoned speaker, I always like to keep the presentation rolling in the face of adversity. On this occasion a person in the audience corrected my pronunciation of "GIF" using the 'J' sound (Jiffy), and corrected me saying, no, it's "GIF" as in 'gift' using the hard 'G'. Another from the audience spoke up saying, "No, I happen to know the developers, and they pronounce it using the "J" sound."
__ Of course wanting to move along with the presentation and ward off any further interruptions, I smoothed it over saying both are acceptable. The incident was quickly forgotten. Until this past August.
__ During the Macworld Boston seminar with Robin Williams, I referred to GIF files using my usual J sound, and was corrected by Robin. "No, Fred it's pronounced like 'Gift' with a hard 'G'. Once again, wanting to move along, I didn't argue. However when I returned from Boston I became obsessed with finding out which is actually correct.
__ Several hours on the web led me to the Cnet site which professes that BOTH pronunciations are correct, echoed by the Compuserve site which also endorsed both.
__ This didn't suit me. I knew there is an answer. Finally I found a reference to the original development team with names. I keyed the names into all of the internet look-up databases I could find. According to the reference, Steve Wilhite was the original team leader, and there were maybe a half dozen email addresses for Mr. Wilhite. All of which were returned addressee unknown. Several others were reached and all said "JIF" was the word used. One person volunteered that it was JIF because the graphics load in a jiffy. But still no definitive word.
__ Last month Adam Engst's "NetBits" newsletter posed the same question, "Is it GIF or JIF?" and I wrote to tell my story. They did not print my response, however the editor did take the challenge and succeed where I did not. In a later edition the blurb: "It's 'Jiff' and I Don't Want to Hear Another Word" wherein they relate mail from Charlie Reading who worked with the creator of GIF, Steve Wilhite. Charlie reported that Steve pronounced it "jiff", spinning off of a historically popular peanut butter commercial.
__ My applause and thanks go out to the editors of NetBits newsletter, for persevering and digging to the bottom of the debate.
Folks, it's "JIF" -- thank you.

NetBits is a wonderful weekly newsletter from the creators of the very popular and world-famous TidBITS. Find out all about them at http://www.netbits.net/!

Fred Showker

Fred Showker is director of The Design & Publishing Center on the web at http://www.graphic-design.com/, and is a co-founder of both The User Group Forum on America Online, and The User Group Network at http://www.user-groups.net/. He has been a user group activist and supporter since 1984.

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Fred Showker, nationally recognized designer author and speaker, is a 25-year veteran of the graphics industry, with his own firm Showker Graphic Arts & Design. Heís an associate editor for the Mug News Service (MNS) as well as Home & School Mac. You can see Fred in action at any of his Design & Graphics workshops around the country sponsored by Dynamic Graphics Educational Foundation, InHouse Graphics, PrintFest and others. You can chat with him directly on America OnLine, where he is ìAFA Shwkrî, a forum assistant in the User Group Forum (UGF), or in eWorld as co-host of the WORKING SOLO forum.
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