Best software to convert videos into animated GIFs?

[True Colors]

I am trying to find some software that can convert video files into animated GIFs.

Here are the things that I am interested in finding

1 - software... NOT web based
2 - easy to use
3 - powerful
4 - free
5 - capable of working with high def videos
6 - ability to add text
7 - able to use multiple input files(mkv, mpg, avi, flv, etc., etc.)

Here are some of the software programs that I have heard about. Does anybody have any experience with these?

- Beneton Movie GIF
- falco GIF animator
- microsoft GIF animator

Any other software applications that are good?

Thanks!

TC

[poisondeathray]

another option: vdub can export gif (you can access vdub filters, things like avisynth (which isn't easy to use but very powerful) to add text and other effects)

You should be able to do it with gimp as well , but it's only an image editor (but vdub can open other video filetypes with import plugins and export image sequences) eg
http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Simple_Animations/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-9_HwRcd1A