GIF Support in Snipping Tool: A Debate on Modernization and Utility
A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the inclusion of GIF export for screen recordings in Windows' Snipping Tool. This feature has sparked debate regarding the relevance and efficiency of the GIF format in 2023.
- Skepticism about GIF appropriateness: Several users expressed surprise and questioned the decision to add GIF support, viewing the format as outdated. "are we going back in time? gif should've been gone years ago" stated lousken. mrkramer echoed this sentiment with "30 years late!".
- Arguments for GIF utility: Counterarguments highlighted specific use cases where GIFs remain beneficial. c16 mentioned, "Generally I agree, but there have been some rare occasions where I needed a gif of a screen recording. In that case, finding a nice way to convert was pretty painful, without using any of those online converters." izzydata defended GIFs on the basis of CPU efficiency for short video clips: "I'm talking about cpu efficiency, not storage space. Video encoding is made to reduce storage at the cost of cpu."
- Critique of GIF efficiency and quality: Conversely, others pointed out the inefficiencies and quality limitations of GIFs, especially for video content. pxoe argued, "unefficient*, especially when putting actual video into gif format. most often those gifs are hideous (limited color palette etc) and huge (10+ MB for seconds of video), often either badly optimized (which would only make them look even more crunchy) or not optimized at all." ziml77 added, "Seriously, they often look terrible due to the limited palette and the file size blows up very quickly unless you severely constrain the dimensions."
- Preference for modern alternatives: Many users advocated for more modern and efficient formats. pxoe suggested, "gifs are just straightforwardly worse there (in quality and size). gifs are useful for having some graphics with transparency... but there are much better formats (webp/webm, apng, etc)." The idea of using "video formats. like h264, which is gonna be widely compatible and likely hardware accelerated" was also brought up, with lousken noting, "h264 was accelerated somewhere around geforce 6 series in 2004."
- The "why now" question: The timing of this feature addition was questioned by some, implying it was a long overdue or even misplaced effort. SiempreViernes found it "very funny that this article about a new way to do screen recordings documents how to use the feature without using a screen recording."
Performance and User Experience of the New Snipping Tool
A notable theme is the perceived performance degradation of the updated Windows 11 Snipping Tool compared to its legacy version.
- Slowness and unreliability: Users reported significant delays in the new tool's launch. 0cf8612b2e1e lamented, "the new Win11 era snipping tool is horribly slow compared to the legacy one. I used to be able to hit the keyboard shortcut and have it appear instantly. There is now a several second pause before the tool is ready to use. Have missed several screen grabs I wanted to capture of a live presentation."
- Workarounds and limitations: Attempts to circumvent the performance issues were discussed, but often met with corporate security or technical barriers. 0cf8612b2e1e explained, "it is a corporate PC, and I am not sure how that would go to be loading “untrusted” files. My suspicion is that the current release is labeled as a protected system file, so I could not overwrite it." throwanem offered an AutoHotkey solution, "you should be able to use AHK to bind it to launch the old binary, so at least you only have to modify muscle memory already extant," but cautioned about the applicability given long-term absence from Windows.
The Ideal Snipping/Screenshot Tool and Feature Requests
The discussion also touched upon the desired features and the overall convenience of screenshot utilities, with some users praising existing third-party tools and suggesting new functionalities for Windows' offering.
- Convenience of integrated tools: The integration of Snipping Tool into Windows was generally appreciated. Mashimo commented, "I like that the snipping tool is build into windows. Took a while, but I use it weekly." The ability to "just press WIN + Shift + S (or PrtSc?) and record a image/video/gif to paste it straight into another app like a chat is very convenient," according to Mashimo.
- Praise for alternative solutions: ShareX was highlighted as a superior, feature-rich alternative. natebc described it as a "phenomenal, Open Source (GPL3) screenshot utility for windows that absolutely kicks ass. Slices, dices, reads qrcodes, uploads to custom s3 locations, captures video, the list of it's features is long."
- Feature requests: Users expressed a desire for additional functionalities. panki27 is "Still waiting for the QR code reader in SnippingTool (or PowerToys)."
- Comparison to legacy tools: The new Snipping Tool was also compared to other historical Windows utilities. entuno noted similarities to the "old Problem Steps Recorder (PSR) tool in Windows. It was a little known tool that recorded keystrokes/clicks/screenshots, which was great for troubleshooting."
Microsoft's Development Philosophy and Team Dynamics
A recurring sub-theme involves speculation about the culture and experience of working on specific teams within Microsoft, particularly for smaller, seemingly "out-of-the-way" tools.
- Perceived idyllic work environment: throwanem initially suggested that working on the Snipping Tool team might be highly desirable: "Imagine being on the Snipping Tool team. Good grief, they must have it made..." Later, clarifying the sentiment, throwanem posited, "OP is referring to the fact that to work in so small and out-of-the-way a one, among the 'many mansions of Microsoft's house,' must be in many ways the best of all worlds." Mashimo questioned this, asking, "Are you saying that most people would not enjoy working on a smaller and simple tool?"
- Commentary on Microsoft's product releases: The addition of GIF support to a tool that previously lacked it, and the subsequent performance issues, might implicitly reflect on Microsoft's development processes or priorities. The timing of features like GIF support, contrasted with the performance of essential functionalities, can lead to perceptions about the rigor of product development.
Discussion on GIF Pronunciation and Nostalgia
A minor, humorous thread emerged regarding the pronunciation of GIF and a touch of nostalgia for older digital aesthetics.
- Humorous take on GIF pronunciation: DonHopkins offered a lighthearted remark about the long-standing debate: "They had to wait until there was consensus on how to pronounce it. The IEEE GIF Pronunciation Standard took decades to get through committee!"
- Appreciation for older visual styles: DonHopkins also expressed an appreciation for older visual techniques: "I for one, having grown up on 8 bit 1200 baud BBS porn, find error diffusion dithering quite beautiful."