"Loading..." Animated GIF Generator

I prefer http://preloaders.net/

There is one really annoying thing about those loading graphics: When people do not provide a <noscript> that does not show them. Also they are useless as progress indicators. Countless times I looked at them while there was nothing happening (be it a non-responding server or a simple bug).

Has anything like this been done for other site graphics?

It would be great to be able to customize fg/bg colors of rounded border images or background gradients without firing up photoshop. It would be even nicer if it could scrape the colors out of your site's css.

Just found this, thought it might be come handy for other devs as well..

If you can avoid showing that loading icon altogether, take it out. Precache the AJAX request as soon as you can, if it won't overload your server, and don't make the user wait.

alternatively, http://www.loadinfo.net/ also has a wide, but somewhat different selection of types of spinners.

I've used ajaxload.info's handiwork on my http://patiencepractice.com website.

That site is SO 2007.

Of course, the goal should be to eliminate all sources of slowdown from one's web page.

I especially hate seeing progress indicators for things that "used to" be fast, if only they weren't ajaxified. The classic case being the pop-up image browsers, because it's so much more fun to watch a spinning icon than to actually see my images instantly.