The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of the GIF
The GIF—now a staple of memes—almost disappeared for a decade. From 1987 to the early 2000s, it thrived, but a patent on its compression tech forced websites to ditch it. Imagine a favorite app vanishing overnight—web creators had to scramble for alternatives. When the patent expired in 2003, GIFs made a comeback, fueled by their perfect loop and meme-friendly vibes. Today, they’re a visual language, proving you can’t keep a good format down.