---Pasted from Tim's email---
" ...what, exactly, Is a JPEG?" A follow-on question from the last tip
of the week (using DAVE R to scan images.)
When you save a scanned image, there are a number of formats that you
can save it in. Here is a brief rundown of some of the most popular file
formats used with most scanners . . .
BMP (BitMaP): BMP files are a standard format for Windows (for
example, Windows wallpaper uses BMP images). While still commonly used,
BMP files are too large for Web use, and have been supplanted by other
formats for use in high-quality graphics.
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format): This is pronounced either "Jif" or
"Gif" , depending on where you heard it first. GIFs are widely used for
Web site graphics. However, this format only uses 8-bit colour (in other
words, up to 256 colours), as opposed to JPEG's 24-bit colour capacity
(over 16 million colours!). As a result, it is usually recommended that
simpler graphics, such as charts, be saved as GIF files, while
photographs should be saved as JPEG files.
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group): Usually pronounced Jay-Peg,
this is a popular standard that provides relatively little perceptible
loss in image quality. JPEG is used a great deal for Web site graphics;
it is also useful for emailing photos or other images.
PNG (Portable Networks Graphics): A relatively recent development,
PNG offers good compression and 48-bit color. With JPEG and GIF, it is
one of the three formats most suitable for Web sites, and in fact is
expected to eventually replace GIF. It is not yet as popular as the
other formats, however.
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format): This is a very widely used format
that handles a wide variety of image types, including monochrome,
grayscale, and 24-bit color. TIFF files offer high-quality images, but
TIFF files tend to be large. As a result, while TIFF files are suitable
for high-quality photos and other images, they cannot be used for Web
sites, and should NOT be sent via email!
Hopefully this helps you to decide on just what format to use when
saving those pictures of your pet fish. And when in doubt, just save it
as a JPEG.