Optimizing Web Graphics
The Great Bandwidth Shortage
By Andrew B. King
http://www.webreference.com/dev/graphics/
"The Web seems slow today."
If this lament sounds all too familiar, you are not alone. The network's backbone isn't
the problem, it's what happens at each end that frustrates users. The increasing size of
digital media and lack of server bandwidth are the main culprits. More bandwidth won't
necessarily solve this problem. What will help is minimizing the amount of data that
travels through this bandwidth. This article will show you how to minimize file size and
dithering for Web graphics.
See also Extreme HTML Optimization and Optimizing Animated GIFs for more tips on
optimizing your HTML and animated GIFs.
Contents Bandwidth can be its own enemy,
concludes Dr. Sunil Gupta (Gu96). Just
as adding more lanes to a highway
Introduction invites more traffic, increasing
bandwidth invites more users. ISDN,
Which Color Palette? cable modems, and ADSL (AD96) will
only temporarily ease the congestion.
Color Reduction More people will be enticed to sign on,
Compression all competing for packets.
Tools and Techniques
Conclusions
References
Links
ProJPEG 5.1
BoxTop's released a new version of their JPEG cruncher that creates smaller
files with higher resolution. 010123
JPEG Cruncher
Another spinoff from Spinwave that uses their fine HVS technology.
JPEG Wizard
Article updated with latest GIF and JPEG optimization tools, including
Imageready 2 and JPEG Wizard from Pegasus Software. 000217
JPEG Wizard Service
The JPEG Wizard Online Optimizer is a free service featuring the only true
JPEG compression optimization available. The JPEG Wizard will also
rotate/mirror your JPEG file with optimization, or completely without loss.
Photoshop 5.5 Review!
Adobe bundles ImageReady 2 and adds many Web features including the
innovative Lossy GIF feature. 8-9-99
GIFCruncher
A new GIF cruncher from Spinwave that utilizes sophisticated color reduction
techniques to create low-color, low-banded, static and animated optimized GIFs.
GIF Wizard
This on-line GIF reduction program can reduce GIFs (animated or otherwise)
and now JPEG! beyond conventional methods. Combined with the techniques
you'll learn here (and in Optimizing Animated GIFs) you can create highly
optimized GIFs with less work. GIF Wizard actually automates many of the
techniques you'll learn here, and is especially effective for reducing animated
GIFs.
Color Blenders - Tools
Color blenders create non-dithering equivalents to any RGB color. DitherBox
and ColorSafe both automatically create a 2x2 pixel patters that simulate any
RGB color you choose. These blends do not dither as they are made of 2 of the
216 "non-dithering" colors, and from normal viewing distances appear to be one
solid color. Useful for backgrounds and larger flat color areas. Designers are no
longer limited to 216 colors! 8-2-97
GIF Wizard
Don't miss this on-line GIF reducer. Give it the URL of any GIF or web page
and GIF Wizard performs a detailed analysis of your GIF, and outputs optimized
versions of it.
Welcome Web Techniques Readers!
This is the expanded version of "Optimizing Web Graphics," which appeared in
the Dec. 1996 issue of Web Techniques, pp.55-61.
Both 216-Color Mac or PC non-dithering CLUTs are now available.
To use them download, unstuff/zip, and load as a Photoshop swatch or color
table. For more details, read the palette page.