A 25-Year History of the Animated GIF, Told by GIFs

theatlantic:

WHEN THE GIF WAS INVENTED IT WAS ALL LIKE



AND



AND OF COURSE



THEN BROWSERS CAME ALONG THAT COULD AUTOMATICALLY ANIMATE, SO THINGS START TO LOOK LIKE



THEN WE REACHED PEAK GIF, WITH A PROTO-INTERNET MEME THAT LOOKED LIKE 



THEN INTERNET 2.0 CAME ALONG AND GIFS STOPPED BEING COOL AND THE TREND WAS ALL LIKE 



THEN THE INTERNET DISCOVERED IRONY AND GIFS GOT ALL POST-MODERN LIKE



Read more at The Atlantic Wire.

This is the Mona Lisa of GIF histories.

(via theatlantic)