Special Achievement

WEBBY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTSteve Wilhite

WEBBY PERSON OF THE YEARFrank Ocean

OUTSTANDING COMEDIC PERFORMANCEJerry Seinfeld

http://www.olsenhome.com/gif/WEBBY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTSteve Wilhite

The Webby Awards are proud to honor Steve Wilhite with a Lifetime Achievement Webby Award in recognition of inventing the GIF file format. The GIF has had an immeasurable impact on the way users interface with the Web and how designers and developers present visual data and imagery. From its humble beginnings in the early days of the Netscape logo, the GIF has continually proven a dynamic format for Net artists and advertisers alike. Despite developments in moving image and animation technology on the Web, the GIF remains a staple among image formats used to spread news and information. The proliferation of the GIF within today's meme-powered, Tumblr-driven pop culture, proves it a lasting format still among the most celebrated on the Web (despite the hotly contested controversy over its correct pronunciation). With 2012 being the 25th anniversary of the GIF we think the 17th Annual Webby Awards is a most fitting event to honor and celebrate Steve Wilhite and this historical achievement.