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I find it funny that GIFs are still being referred as GIFs [1] while most places serve them as h264 yuv420p MP4s [2]. [1] https://i.giphy.com/l0Iy1ZcHArR9aAQta

• pmoriarty 9y ago
  It reminds me of how viral images are referred to as memes, often by people who are ignorant of the original and fuller meaning of the term as a viral idea (as opposed to and deliberately reminiscent of the view of a gene being a viral biological entity, as in "The Selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins, who coined the term "meme" itself). Of course, the term "viral" is itself used metaphorically here, and is also used as an analogy to a biological entity. But in this case, I think more people are aware of the existence of viruses than they are of the original meaning of the term "meme", though they might not make the conscious connection between a "viral" idea, video, or image and that of a biological virus or how it spreads "virally".
• userbinator 9y ago
  ...because MP4phy doesn't have quite the same ring to it?