(For why GIFs are bad, see http://burnallgifs.org/ )
At present, when someone uploads a GIF image file to Wikipedia, they're told it's "not a recommended format". This isn't likely to stop anyone once they've got that far, so they'll probably just hit "Save anyway". Plus, we've got a zillion GIF files already uploaded from the olden days.
Would it be desireable to do automated conversion to PNG? Or at the least, offering a conversion along with that upload warning.
Pros: * By eliminating the use of a patent-encumbered file format on our site, we support the open/free-content ideals this project is built on.
* Wikipedia and Bomis avoid the potential of a Unisys lawsuit for 'contributory infringement' of their LZW compression patent for providing download of files that might be compressed with unlicensed software.
Cons: * Animated GIFs can't be converted cleanly (or is that a pro? ;) (Note that there is MNG, but it's not widely supported)
* Some browsers don't support transparency in PNGs correctly. These are older versions, but still in use.
* Conversion may hide/destroy embedded comments which note the origin of a mistakenly uploaded copyrighted non-GFDL image, making it harder to track down things we need to eliminate
Comments to http://meta.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burn_All_GIFs please.
-- brion vibber (brion @ pobox.com)