Recommendations for novice GIF editor/maker?

[Refractive Reflections]

I'm completely new to making/editing GIFs and I want to try doing them. (I'm thinking about changing the backgrounds to some TMNT gifs or just creating new ones.) Do any of you know any good freeware for it that is also virus free?

Thanks for all of the help and advice! :)

[Roland]

I know you want to make gifs but what about mng. It an alternative for gif, basicly png for moving images.

Irfamview is gif editor and other popular formats. It can't make moving gifs but it can open gifs and save gifs stills.