[comp.sys.mac] What is a GIFf file?

jweeks@umnd-cs-luke.d.umn.edu (John A. Weeks III) (08/03/88)

What is a "gif" file???

I downloaded a file from some archive that had a filename something
like: "gif.name.hqx".  I was under the impression that is was a 
graphics file.

After converting with BinHex4.0, I cannot open the file.  I peeked
at it's file type, it is "GIFf".

Anyone know what this is or how to open it?

Thankx in advance....John.



OS/2: Just Say No!        An Apple-A-Day Takes My Credit Card Away. 
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John Weeks                                    jweeks@luke.d.umn.edu
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drc@claris.UUCP (Dennis Cohen) (08/03/88)

In article <439@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU> jweeks@umnd-cs-luke.d.umn.edu (John A. Weeks III) writes:
>
>What is a "gif" file???
>
>I downloaded a file from some archive that had a filename something
>like: "gif.name.hqx".  I was under the impression that is was a 
>graphics file.
>
>After converting with BinHex4.0, I cannot open the file.  I peeked
>at it's file type, it is "GIFf".
>
>Anyone know what this is or how to open it?
>

GIF is an acronym for Graphics Interchange Format and was developed and is
copyrighted by CompuServe and H&R Block.  There are a number of public domain
and shareware programs that read and understand the gif format, the most
popular ones that I've seen being CompuServe Navigator (Commercial telecomm
product for accessing CI$), Giffer (beerware), and Vision Lab (Free at the
moment, commercial later).  There are also programs for the PC, Amiga, Atari,
and others available on CI$ that understand these files.

Dennis Cohen
Claris Corp.
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Disclaimer:  Any opinions expressed above are _MINE_!

rdsesq@Jessica.stanford.edu (Rob Snevely) (08/03/88)

That file is in GIF format a grafics compresion format that is used on compu-
serve. You can look at the file by using a program called giffer. It is 
availible by anonymous ftp to sumex.aim.stanford.edu. it's in the <info-mac>
dir.

rob snevely