"I spend my life on the
Web but connect
at 21.6 k."
Confession by Wendy Peck ... finally out of the closet.
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I know, I know, you have a cable modem or a DSL connection. Nobody
you know would be caught dead with a dial-up, but I am going to let
you in on a secret. I connect on a dial-up – usually at 21.6k.
And believe me, that is not because I am cheap, technically challenged
or otherwise responsible for the sorry state of my connection. Quite
simply, I have no other option. I live in an area that is far from the
population base for this province, like millions of people in North
America. I am in heaven when I am on the road and can connect from a
hotel room at 56k.
Yes, much of North America has access to high speed lines, but what
about the rest of us? What about some areas of Europe and many other
areas of the world. Many people still have slow connections, plus must
pay for the local phone call in addition to hefty Web service charges?
We are far from the point where we can ignore slow connections. In
fact, we will most likely go back before we go forward with all the
excitement over wireless devices, palm computers ... the list of reasons
to optimize could fill this page. I highly recommend that you read an
article by my Webreference editor, Andy King, on Optimizing
Web Graphics.
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This image was originally 678 x 435 px. At medium JPG
compression, the file size was 49.28 k, or 18 seconds for a 28.8 modem
(remember, that is faster than I connect). By reducing it to the correct
size for this spot, or 240 x 153 px the file size was reduced to 7.05
k, or 3 sec.
Below: Further reducing for selected regions
in Image Optimizer brings the file size to 5.29 k. See next page for
more on this program.
This photo does not contain unnecessary areas, but
you still have options that can save file size and create more impact.
Original size 4.47 k.
Photo by Tom Thomson
Photography.
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Did that sound like a rant? Perhaps it is, since I have noticed a disturbing
drop in discussion about optimization in the past while. In the newsgroups,
tutorials, Web developer forums ... you hardly hear a peep. I am the
self-appointed "tester of slow" on several newsgroups, because
few can speak to download time with cable or DSL connection. But graphics
size is still very important!
Graphic programs have done a great job of adding optimization features.
Almost all will allow you to reduce GIF colors and preview the results
of JPG compression as you save. But we can do more than just that. And
it is important to understand how file size and compression works so
we can make good choices.
Image Size
A common mistake for beginners is to resize their images through HTML,
whether hand coding or with an editor. Sure, the image will show at
the right size, but the cost in download time is very high.  Take
a look at the image at the left and the difference between the original
and reduced file size.
Many programs allow you to reduce the size as you export. For example,
in Photoshop 5.5's Save for the Web, screen, you can click on the Image
Size tab and enter the desired size. The original image is not effected,
just the export.
Also, consider cropping your photos. I see many images on the Web that
have so much "stuff" surrounding the subject. Try using white
space to create the graphic break for the page. You can have the impact
without adding download time.
The first variation of the original
photo crops the image into an unusual shape which can be visually very
interesting. You still get the impression of the swirling snow, yet
the file is much smaller (3.86 k). The lower variation zooms in, providing
more impact for the central image at the same time as it reduces file
size (3.02 k).
Click on to learn the inside scoop on how graphic compression works,
and how you can design for smaller file size.
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