Vista + animated gifs

[Dmitri]

Anyone familiar with Windows Vista can tell me why my Windows image browser suddenly stopped showing animated gifs? It used to, but now just shows the static image.

 

[photo28]

Another reason I'm reluctant to update to Vista... =/

 

[Dmitri]

Another reason I'm reluctant to update to Vista... =/

Oh god, no! I use Vista because it came with my laptop. I would never in a million years have chosen to use it myself. If you aren't stuck with it, do NOT upgrade (IMHO).

 

[Corry]

I've been using vista for quite some time with no problems at all. I'd really like to know how many of these problems people are blaming on Vista are actually due to other things.

 

[Chiller]

I have Vista too, as it came with the computer. I dont seem to have any problems either. At first there were some glitches, but after the last update a few months back, it has been o.k.

 

[clarinetJWD]

I give up... I just do. It's just impossible to talk sense when people don't want to hear it.

 

[Dmitri]

ok well, do any of you know how to get my animated gifs show up as animated again? I reckon I switched a setting somewhere but darned if I know where...

 

[clarinetJWD]

Windows will generally use the rendering engine from whatever program is set to default for videos. I.E. if you install a codec pack, that codec pack is responsible for creating the thumbnail previews. I've never cared much about gifs, so I can't speak for that, but if you changed the default program for them recently, it's probably that.

 

[Dmitri]

*sigh* after some googling, turns out this is yet another vista "feature". No idea why it used to show the animated gifs, but now doesn't... maybe an update.

In any case, turns out I need to download a 3rd party program since Vista once again proves its use.

 

[Buckster]

 

[clarinetJWD]

Yes, playing an animated GIF in Image viewer or on the desktop in Vista was removed. The way it worked in XP was to use an "active desktop" or its derivative to execute the animation. The problem here is that it allowed scripts to be run and disguised as images, infecting a large number of systems. This was removed from Vista to close that massive security rist, and GIFs now open in Internet Explorer, or another browser by default, which have at least some protection against malicious scripts on their default settings.

Also, I really doubt it used to, since this was the functionality in 2006 when VIsta launched, and it still is today. Maybe you changed the default program for GIF files from IE to Image viewer, but didn't realize it. It seems that when the choice is between security and flying pig animations on the desktop, most people will choose the flying pig.

 

[Dmitri]

It seems that when the choice is between security and flying pig animations on the desktop, most people will choose the flying pig.

Because having both would be impossible. Man on the moon? Check. Flying pig animation and security? Sorry, too complicated for the biggest software company to handle.

And for the record, your snark aside, animated gifs are useful for the general public. For example, "Did you see Cantwell break that guys arm?" "No, I missed it." "Check it out".

I know I know, you're too cool for, ya know, stuff. But most of us humans enjoy, ya know, stuff. So you can take your holier than thou attitude and, ya know, stuff it.

 

[robertwsimpson]

if you're using internet exploder, I say try using a different browser. I use google chrome, and it works beautifully.

 

[Dmitri]

if you're using internet exploder, I say try using a different browser. I use google chrome, and it works beautifully.

I use firefox. I had used the default windows photo viewer to view photos in the past (on my hard drive), but it stopped working recently. I was wondering if there was a setting that I may have inadvertently changed, but it turns out it's just vista being vista. I wound up downloading irfanview, which does that which is apparently too complicated for microsoft.

 

[robertwsimpson]

lol yes. buncha amateurs.