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Many different types of graphic file
formats exist, but three graphic file formats are
generally used in web pages—GIF, JPEG, and PNG.
Currently, GIF and JPEG file formats are the best
supported and can be viewed by most browsers.
PNG files are best suited for almost any type of web
graphic due to their flexibility and small file
size; however, the display of PNG images is only
partially supported in Microsoft Internet Explorer
(4.0 and later browsers) and Netscape Navigator
(4.04 and later browsers). So unless you are
designing for a specific target audience using a
browser that supports the PNG format, use GIFs or
JPEGs for broader appeal.
GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) files use a maximum
of 256 colors, and are best for displaying
noncontinuous-tone images or those with large areas
of flat colors, such as navigation bars, buttons,
icons, logos, or other images with uniform colors
and tones.
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) file format
is the superior format for photographic or
continuous-tone images, because JPEG files can
contain millions of colors. As the quality of a JPEG
file increases, so does the file size and the file
download time. You can often strike a good balance
between the quality of the image and the file size
by compressing a JPEG file. |
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