7 ms·

What about using video with control instead? Furthermore what about performance?

loceng 5y ago
And he didn't mention a change in conversions - which would be far more convincing.
spcebar 5y ago
I think the point is that it autoplays and gives you a very quick rundown on the specifics of the feature/pricing. The way they're using gifs in the demo, it doesn't look like controls would make sense, but I think the message of this article is more about providing meaningful information about services and pricing than the gifs themselves.
- lol768 5y ago
  Yeah, it's more of an implementation detail. But indeed, if I implemented this myself I wouldn't use GIFs. It's a joke of a format which produces bloated files, very limited colours (slightly less limited if you employ some creative hacks), no proper alpha support. We should put it in the bin and move on. Whether that's <video> elements with no controls using something like AV1 (neat but no alpha AFAIK), APNG or VP9, I don't really care.
  - janekm 5y ago
    For a screen recording of a UI, it's the perfect format unless you're demoing a video/photo editing application. You don't need alpha or many colours and screen recordings are quite efficient in a GIF.
    - chrismorgan 5y ago
      This is just not true.
fijiaarone 5y ago
Would performance with video be better than gifs?
- BasilPH 5y ago
  Yes, video codecs are way better at generating smaller file sizes. GIFs are literally like flip-books of images. You can also autoplay videos without controls and loop them, but you have to mute them. Most "GIF" hosting websites actually use videos. Especially when it's "GIFs with sound".
  - janekm 5y ago
    That's actually not correct, GIFs can encode the differences between frames and quite efficiently for screen recordings. A GIF will be more efficient for a screen recording so long as there are small changes between frames.
    - BasilPH 5y ago
      Oh, interesting. So it does some encoding, but not very efficiently?
      - janekm 5y ago
        Yes, in the GIF format you can update just a window inside the image rather than the whole image for each frame. There are also control blocks that specify that a particular colour value is to be treated as transparent (within the logical image) and that the background image should be restored after the window is drawn. So for example a moving pointer can be very efficient if the encoder is able to take advantage of all these features. A better encoder can take the images from the article down by a lot (I got 80% reduction with minimal reduction in quality using https://compress-or-die.com https://compress-or-die.com).
        mdoms 5y ago
        Every major video codec does this exact thing. Can you please stop spreading this misinformation all over the thread?
mikepurvis 5y ago
I think for many tech-savvy users, video = long-winded, annoying, work to scrub through for the good parts, etc. Whereas these brief animations are a helpful visual teaser of exactly what the feature is. It's not unlike a modern Assassins Creed game, where the skill tree shows a little silent video of what the move you're about to unlock looks like in action. You feel more confident that you know exactly what you're getting for your doubloons.
- aloisdg 5y ago
  Fable 1 did this too

And he didn't mention a change in conversions - which would be far more convincing.

I think the point is that it autoplays and gives you a very quick rundown on the specifics of the feature/pricing. The way they're using gifs in the demo, it doesn't look like controls would make sense, but I think the message of this article is more about providing meaningful information about services and pricing than the gifs themselves.

lol768 5y ago
Yeah, it's more of an implementation detail. But indeed, if I implemented this myself I wouldn't use GIFs. It's a joke of a format which produces bloated files, very limited colours (slightly less limited if you employ some creative hacks), no proper alpha support. We should put it in the bin and move on. Whether that's <video> elements with no controls using something like AV1 (neat but no alpha AFAIK), APNG or VP9, I don't really care.
- janekm 5y ago
  For a screen recording of a UI, it's the perfect format unless you're demoing a video/photo editing application. You don't need alpha or many colours and screen recordings are quite efficient in a GIF.
  - chrismorgan 5y ago
    This is just not true.

fijiaarone 5y ago

Would performance with video be better than gifs?

BasilPH 5y ago
Yes, video codecs are way better at generating smaller file sizes. GIFs are literally like flip-books of images. You can also autoplay videos without controls and loop them, but you have to mute them. Most "GIF" hosting websites actually use videos. Especially when it's "GIFs with sound".
- janekm 5y ago
  That's actually not correct, GIFs can encode the differences between frames and quite efficiently for screen recordings. A GIF will be more efficient for a screen recording so long as there are small changes between frames.
  - BasilPH 5y ago
    Oh, interesting. So it does some encoding, but not very efficiently?
    - janekm 5y ago
      Yes, in the GIF format you can update just a window inside the image rather than the whole image for each frame. There are also control blocks that specify that a particular colour value is to be treated as transparent (within the logical image) and that the background image should be restored after the window is drawn. So for example a moving pointer can be very efficient if the encoder is able to take advantage of all these features. A better encoder can take the images from the article down by a lot (I got 80% reduction with minimal reduction in quality using https://compress-or-die.com https://compress-or-die.com).
      - mdoms 5y ago
        Every major video codec does this exact thing. Can you please stop spreading this misinformation all over the thread?

mikepurvis 5y ago

I think for many tech-savvy users, video = long-winded, annoying, work to scrub through for the good parts, etc. Whereas these brief animations are a helpful visual teaser of exactly what the feature is. It's not unlike a modern Assassins Creed game, where the skill tree shows a little silent video of what the move you're about to unlock looks like in action. You feel more confident that you know exactly what you're getting for your doubloons.

aloisdg 5y ago
Fable 1 did this too