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Website Instructions/Help Information

This Help Information is divided into the following sections and sub-sections:

Concept
'Access Heirarchy'
'Active Status' of Content
Using the Site

1. Concept

The UEA Students Union Website is your site. The idea is that it operates on a communal basis. The content of the site is created, controlled and managed by the union officers and the student body. Students can sign up as members of the site and use it to find out what is going on and to interact with all or any of the other users.

The site also provides general information on a variety of subjects to non-members by allowing them to join in with the union community by voting in on-line polls and posting to message boards.

Administration of the site is carried out using the, so-called, access heirarchy consisting of two levels - 'contenteers' and 'officers' - each with a rising degree of editorial and management control over the website' s content.

An important feature of the site itself is that it allows logged-in users to create their own mini-websites within the whole. These mini-sites are your opportunity to build web-pages about any clubs, societies, campaigns, club nights or subject of your own choice.

Managed using a series of cascading folders within the site, content is either 'private' , 'visible' , 'published' or 'pending' - dependent on how the user sets its 'active status' and on that user's position within the access heirarchy.

2. 'Access Heirarchy'

2.1 Contenteers

A 'contenteer' is able to manage content in certain areas of the site and within the folders of other users where they have been delegated access.

2.2 Officers

'Officers' are able to manage content across many areas of the site and also operate their own sites and folders - to which they are able to delegate access to contenteers.

2.3 The 'Manager' Role

Both contenteers and officers have the role 'manager' within areas of the site that they can edit.

3. 'Active Status' of Content

3.1 Visible

By default, all items are created in the 'visible' state. Any user, including 'anonymous' visitors, can find and view visible items through the website' s 'search' function and visit them directly through the item' s URL (if it has one) - even when these items are held within personal folders. However, 'visible' items do not appear within the website's main navigation system. 'Visible' items can only be edited by (a) the originator of the item (b) the recipient of the item (eg: an ents officer might have reviews submitted to them for publication) or (c) by a 'manager' .

3.2 Published

'Published' items are visible to all site-users and 'anonymous' visitors and appear both in 'search' results and within the website' s navigation system. 'Published' items are visible within the items lists of the news or events section of the appropriate area within the website and are editable only by 'managers' although they can be retracted by their originators for the purposes of editing. Retracted items revert to the 'visible' state.

3.3 Pending

Pending items are items that have been submitted by users for publishing on the site and which appear in the visible state but which are flagged-up for review by the appropriate member of the 'access heirarchy' . Thus 'managers' , 'officers' or appropriately delegated 'contenteers' are prompted to edit, approve and publish 'pending' items - or reject them.

3.4 Private

'Private' items are only available to, and editable by, their originators and those other users with either delegated or management access to the folder in which the item exists. 'Private' items will not appear in 'search' results or within the website' s navigation system.

4. Using The Site

4.1 Basic Information

Until you log-in to the site, your participation in all that it has to offer is limited to that of an 'anonymous visitor' . As such you are able to vote in on-line polls and contribute to discussions, for example, but you cannot create or control any of the site' s content.

Once you log-in[1], you automatically become part of the 'access heirarchy' .

The best way to consider your options with regard to what you can or cannot do within the site as a whole is to think of the basic template which has been set-up for you - your folder - as a website in itself; your website.

As you will see, you are unable to actively affect or control any of the information on either the site as a whole or under your own user name and within your own folders, unless you select the 'Enter edit mode' option.

4.1.1 Logging In

To log in use the 'Log In' link in the 'MY STUFF' box on the left of the screen. You will now be prompted to enter your user name and password. (Note these are both case sensitive.)

4.2 Logged-In Users

When you log-in, you are presented with a list of options under the heading 'MY STUFF' on the left hand side of the Union website home page:

Enter edit mode
Logged-In User' s Name
My folder
My preferences
Undo
Pending
Log out

Enter Edit Mode[2]

Selecting this option allows you to input, edit or manage elements of content within any of your folders or any other user' s folders to which you have been delegated access - including those of the union site as a whole.

Remember, you must first select your user name or the 'my folder' option, then the 'enter edit mode' option if you wish to work within your own area.

Once you have selected the 'enter edit mode' option, you will notice that a list of 'action' tabs now appears above the navigation bar at the top of the page you are currently in. These are:

folder contents
view
edit
properties
state
special actions

These action tabs are your route to all information contained within your folder, the folders of the main site and the folders of other user' s to which you have been given access.

4.3.1 folder contents

Unless you are working within your own folder, what you can effect (content you can manage) when you select the folder contents section of either the site as a whole or within other user' s areas, will depend on the access you have been given.

Within your own area, the folder contents section contains all the items created and collected by you.

As you select the 'folder contents' action tab, you will notice that you are immediately shown a list of these items, their type, size, when they were last modified and their status ('active status' - refer to notes under the section "'active status' of content" ).

Beneath this list, you will see buttons, four of which - 'rename' , 'cut' , 'copy' and 'delete' - are self-explanatory. The fifth - 'change status' - allows you to move an item from, for example, a 'visible' to a 'published' status, dependent on your position within the access heirarchy.

In addition to this contents list, above it you will see that there are two drop-down menus. These menus allow you to choose which items are displayed on your list and gives you quick and easy access to adding or viewing them according to their type. (The various types of item which you can create/add, edit and retain in your folder contents are explained in the following notes on adding items.)

You also have an 'add new item' button to the right of these drop-down menus.

Click-on this button and you are presented with a list containing individual descriptions of the varying items which you can add to your folder contents and subsequently edit. (For speed, you can use the drop-down menus but adding an item from here does not give you its description.)

Adding and/or editing items, whatever their nature, is - with a few exceptions - a fairly uniform process. Detailed here is what we shall refer to as the 'Blueprint' for adding content using the 'document' item as the example.

4.3.2 blueprint for adding or editing content

(example item - 'Document' )

Once you have selected 'document' , whether you are adding or editing the document, you will be presented with a 'form' headed 'Item Properties' and consisting of a number of fields for you to fill-in.

NB: When you add a new item, that item is instantly created (note the message which now appears at the top of the item page). Regardless of whether or not you go on to give content to it or even give it a title, it will appear on your folder contents items list and have an assigned status, until it is deleted.

NB: A small, red square denotes a required field which must be filled-in before an item can be added to your folder. This red square-indication of required fields is consistent throughout the site.

There are four fields for a 'document' - Name, Title, Description and Body Text.

Name is the identifier which will become part of the item' s web address. It should be short, descriptive and contain no underscores or mixed-case. If you do not provide a name then one will be created for you.

Title is the only required field and will appear at the top of the page, on your contents list, within the 'search' results, the title of the browser and so on.

Description is the field you should use to introduce your document and to encourage other users to visit or view it, as you so wish .

Body Text is the document' s main text content. You can input this main text in one of three formats determined by the 'radio' buttons that you will see located below the Body Text field.

These are Structured text, HTML and Plain text.

(i) Structured text

Structured text is a method of inputting information and changing typefaces or styles or, for example, adding links to your item quickly and easily. The following is a basic reference-guide for the use of Structured text.

1. Italicized text

Prefix and suffix your text with a single asterisc to italicize it:

word to *word* becomes word

2. Underlined text

Prefix and suffix your text with _ to underline it:

word to _word_ becomes word

3. Bold typeface

Prefix and suffix your text with a double asterisc to make it bold.

word to **word** becomes word

4. Headers and Paragraphs

Enter your header text and then indent the first line of any following paragraph to turn your header text into a header.

word or words

The following paragraph with the main body of information about the subject or item which you wish to input.

becomes

Word Or Words

The following paragraph with the main body of information about the subject or item which you wish to input.

NB: Second, third and subsequent paragraphs also require indented first lines.

5. Links

Enter your link in quotes followed by a colon and then a full web address to create a link:

Item to link

"Item to link":http://www.Itemtolink.com

becomes

Item to link

6. Email Addresses

Enter the email address you wish to link to in quotes followed by a colon and the words 'mailto' , another colon and the email address again to create an email address link.

address

"address.com":mailto:address.com

becomes

address.com

7. References

To create a reference, suffix your text with a number, for example, between open and closed square brackets.

word or words

word or words [1]

becomes

word or words [1]?

[1] reference

8. Images

Prefix and suffix a text link to an image with quotes and then enter a colon, 'img' another colon, then the name of the uploaded image. NB Do not use the title that you gave to your uploaded image unless it is the same as the name.

word or words (these words will be shown when the browser does not show the image)

"word or words":img:yourimage.jpg

becomes

(your image is now shown)

You can use an arbitrary URL for the image, eg:

"another image":img:http://www.anotherimage.com/logo.jpg

(ii) HTML

Any arbitrary HTML can be entered by a user but Union policy stipulates that it must be xHTMLi compliant. If you are uncertain what this means, please use either Structured or Plain text.

(iii) Plain text

As its name suggests, this is simply the input of information as text which is typed-in to the required field.

NB: If your document is already on file in your computer and in one of the three formats listed above, you can upload this instead of typing it into the Body Text field using the 'upload' button (this button now says 'saveme' - why?!) that you can see located beneath the format radio buttons.

Once you have filled-in all the required fields that you need to during the add or edit operation, simply select the 'save' button and the item is then saved and added to your folder' s contents list.

You will also have noticed that when you initially select folder contents, an additional action tab labelled 'delegation' appears alongside the others above the navigation bar. Selecting this tab allows you to give other users access to some or all of your folders. The instructions for using the delegation action tab and the options available to you within this field are clearly explained as and when you select it.

Possibly the most significant element of the delegation action tab is that it allows users to 'assign local roles' to other users within their area.

items available to add or edit

(a) Document

A document is a page of content, usually a self-contained piece of text. Documents can be written in one of three formats: Structured text, HTML or Plain text.

Documents are the basic building block of your site/folders and an example document would be your default 'home page' .

(b) Image

An Image is an uploaded picture suitable for use in your documents or for downloading.

(c) File

A file is any arbitrary piece of information such as a Microsoft Word document or and Excel spreadsheet which can be uploaded from your system to your site/folders.

(d) Link

A link is the primary way for you to share URLs with other users. These URLs can be internet or local resources and can contain metadata.

(e) Folder

Folders are your 'containers' through which and within which you can organize your content. Folders can contain any sort of item from a file to a document and so on.

(f) Photo Album

Photo Albums contain other photo albums and/or photos for people to view or you to store.

(g) Forum

Forums hold threaded discussions.

(h) Redirect

Redirects send visitors to a link elsewhere.

(j) minisite

The basic building block of your minisite. Allows use of many special actions and works like a container for all parts of your minisite. It can contain most other item types, including other minisites to help organise your site.

(k) adoc

Active Docs are a custom dynamic doc allowing flexible page templating. Use these to quickly and easily create web pages in your minisite with a mixture of text and pictures.

This special type of document puts you in the designer's chair.
It can be set-up to include tables, rows and columns of different sizes and with variable colours and styles.
Each individual cell or 'content area' within the document can incorporate text or an image and can be customised entirely according to the user's requirements or taste.

Creating an 'adoc' document is straightforward.

Once you have logged-in, selected 'enter edit mode' and then accessed your area of the site by clicking-on either 'my folder' or your user-name from the navigation sidebar, simply select the 'folder contents' action tab from the navigation bar above your homepage.
Next, select the 'add new item' menu and scroll-down the list of options you are presented with until you come to the item labelled 'adoc'.
Now click-on the 'add' button and the adoc item is automatically created.
You will see that you are now presented with a 'form' headed by areas labelled 'title' and 'description' by which you can name and briefly describe the details of the adoc item which you are adding. (You will also notice, to the right-hand side, an orange button labelled 'change' by which you can change the content of these headings at any time).

Once you have titled and described your adoc item, to add a new area of content simply click-on the 'add a new row' orange button. You are now presented with a form headed 'add new content area' by which, selecting either the 'text' or 'image' radio-buttons you can add either a new area of text or an image.
To input text, after selecting the 'text' radio button, simply type the text into the content area. (Please refer to help info 'edit' section, sub-sections: Structured text, HTML and Plain text).
To include an image, make a selection from the drop-down menu at the bottom of the form.
In either case, you then select the 'add this new area' button to add your new piece of text or image to your adoc item and you are then shown the layout of your new page and its style.

Click-on the individual text or image cell to make changes to it, to restyle it or to delete it.

New content areas are added by repeating the steps detailed above.

NB: Take a look at the adoc items included in the 'elections' minisite to see what can be achieved.

(l) Cabinet

Filing Cabinet: a place to put files, images or documents meant primarily for others to download.

It is also a way in which you can further organise your folder and the items within it.

Setting-up a filing cabinet is easy.

Next, select the 'add new item' menu and scroll-down the list of options you are presented with until you come to the item labelled 'cabinet'.
Select the 'add' button and as you will see, the cabinet is automatically created. You are now presented with a form headed 'properties'. Fill-in the required fields and save your changes.
NB: A small, red square denotes a required field which must be filled-in before an item can be added to your folder. This red square-indication of required fields is consistent throughout the site.

To add other items to a cabinet, simply select the 'add new item' button whereupon you are presented with a list of items available to add to your cabinet:

Image
Image objects: to hold pictures suitable for downloads or for storing images to be put into your document.

File
File objects can contain arbitrary downloadable files.

Cabinet
Filing Cabinet: a place to put files, images or documents meant primarily for others to download.

Select the 'add' button to add any of these items as required.

(m) mailer

Next, select the 'add new item' menu and scroll-down the list of options you are presented with until you come to the item labelled 'mailer'.

Select the 'add' button and you are presented with a form headed 'properties'.
Simply fill-in the required fields to set-up your mailer option and then save your changes.
NB: A small, red square denotes a required field which must be filled-in before an item can be added to your folder. This red square-indication of required fields is consistent throughout the site.

To categorise your mailer, fill in the 'category' field and save your changes again.

Your subscribers - any of which can be deleted as appropriate - are listed at the bottom of the form.

Setting-up your own mini-website or 'minisite'

Once you have logged-in[1], selected 'enter edit mode' [2] and then accessed your area of the site by clicking-on either 'my folder' or your user-name from the navigation sidebar, simply select the 'folder contents' action tab from the navigation bar above your homepage.

Next, select the 'add new item' button and scroll-down the list of options you are presented with until you come to the item headed 'minisite' .

Now, click-on the 'add item' button which, as you will see, automatically opens-up the 'special actions' action tab and you are presented with the option to 'configure' your minisite.

(i) Configure

When you select the 'configure minisite' button, you are offered a number of possible 'special actions' by which you can set-up and personalise your new minisite. Once you have configured your minisite, to return to this list of possible actions, select the 'special actions' tab from the navigation bar at the top of the page you are working-in, at any time.

Following configuration of your minisite, the first of the 'special actions' available to you is headed 'adding users' .

Here, you are able to allow another user of your choice to take an active role within your minisite - with the level of their participation dependent on the status that you give them. (See 'access heirarchy').

To add a new user, select the 'add a new contenteer' button and you are presented with a form headed 'Please Register' . Fill-in the required-fields and click-on the 'register' button to add your chosen user.

To give your newly added-user a status within your minisite, hit the 'delegation' [3] action tab from the navigation bar and you are presented with a section headed 'assigning local roles' . Click-on the 'assign local role to a selected user' button and you are given a list of possible status levels - such as 'officer' - only one of which you can then select and assign to your added-user.

The remaining 'special actions' open to you within your minsite are:

(ii) Title and Description

To change the details of your site under the section headed 'minisite title and description' .

Here, simply title or retitle and describe your minisite as you choose and then select the 'save new details' button to effect any changes you have made.

(iii) Navigation

To set-up your minisite' s navigation bar under the section headed 'minisite navigation'

Under this option, you can select up to six documents to be included in your minisite' s navigation bar.

The first link is automatically established as your minisite' s 'default homepage' .

(Links to photoalbums, forums, folders and other sites are handled automatically).

To change the style of your site under the section headed 'minisite stylist'

Changing the style of your minisite simply requires that you choose from one of the four styles offered and then click-on the radio button beneath your preferred choice. Now select the 'change' button to give your minisite its new style.

NB: You may now need to use the 'refresh' button on your browser to see the results of your new style.

(iv) Homepage

To change or set up your minisite' s defaulted home page under the section headed 'creating your minisite' s homepage (default page)' .

You must set up a homepage (default page) to enable other users to follow a link your minisite. To do so, select the 'create default page' button and you will then be presented with a form. to create your homepage. Fill-in the required fields, click-on the 'save' button and your homepage will then be created.

NB: Once you have created a default homepage, you cannot effect changes to it from the 'creating your minisite' s homepage (default page)' section using the 'create default page' option. To do so - or to replace it with another type of item such as a 'forum' - you must remove or rename any previous index_html object from your minisite folder first by selecting the 'minisite folder contents' link shown.

(v) Links

Make the link to your minisite point to another website under the section headed 'create an automatic link to another site'

To do so, select the 'create redirection' option and fill-in the required fields on the form you are then presented with. Select the 'save' button to effect your changes.

NB: This button may not work if you have already created a default homepage. If you need to remove a redirection go to the 'url of your minisite/folder_contents' and delete 'index_html' .

(vi) Sidebars

Finally, to configure the sidebar elements of your minisite under the section headed 'minisite sidebars' .

Selecting the labelled drop-down menus within any of the above sections presents you with simple steps to follow in order to carry-out any of the 'special actions' available to you as you so choose.

view

Selecting the view option simply allows you to see and assess how an item looks - your home page, for example. You can effect any changes to that item by selecting the edit option.

edit

The edit option allows you to make any changes you deem necessary or desirable to any item that you are currently viewing. (See blueprint for adding/editing content).

properties

(example item - 'Document' )

Selecting this option allows you to view the 'properties' of your document and presents you with a 'form' by which you can change those properties to suit the document' s nature and required functions.

Properties - also known as metadata - are essentially the functional/operational elements of an item with regard, as such, to who can view it, when they can view it, what they can view and interact with and how they can view or interact with it.

Any item can have properties assigned to it and the properties 'form' has several fields which are common to all types of items - for example:

Adding the Allow Discussion option means that the document can be discussed by users who have the right to do so. (If left in the default setting the site-wide policy comes into effect).

Keywords are a way of assigning metadata to a document. Multiple keywords can be selected by using the control key and clicking to confirm your selection.

The Effective date and Expiration date are the first and last day on which the document becomes available in one of the 'active status' settings. Leaving them blank means that the item will be infinitely available in one 'active status' setting or another.

NB: Whenever you come across a field-box where you are required to enter a 'date' , you will notice a small 'calendar' icon beside the field-box. Click-on this and you are automatically shown a calendar from which you can select your required dates without the need to enter them in the field-box manually.

Language is, naturally enough, the language in which the document is written.

Copyright gives the copyright detail for the document and Contributors lists the names of users who contributed to the document (each name requiring an individual line)

state

(example item - 'Document' )

Selecting the state action tab allows you to view the 'active status' of the document you are currently viewing or working on and gives you details of the process for publishing it, including the use of effective and expiry dates. (See 'blueprint for adding/editing content')

Once you are satisfied with your document, select the 'submit' button and your document will enter the 'pending' state and another member of the 'access heirarchy' will be prompted to review and either approve or reject it.

special actions

Selecting the special actions action tab allows you to take any special actions which are appropriate to the item you are working on, the section of the website that you are browsing and your position within the 'access heirarchy' .

editable text

Dependant on your level of access within the site, (please refer to notes under the section 'access heirarchy') you may, from time to time, see a pen symbol in a box. This symbol denotes an area of the site in which you are able to manage or edit content.

Simply click-on it to open-up an 'area contents' form and then type in the information you wish to add.

Now click-on the 'save' orange button to add this new content.

democratizer

Depending on your level of access within the site (see 'access heirarchy') you will see an option labelled 'democratizer' at the bottom of the navigation bar to the left hand side of the screen.

The democratizer is a tool which allows Union Executive Officers to:

Add new users to the Union website.
Find an existing user and 'democratize' them.
Configure the democratizer tool.

Click-on the 'Democratizer' option on the navigation bar and you will be taken to a screen where you can carry-out any of the above functions, as necessary.

Adding a new user to the Union website:
This is only used to add users who are not registered with the UEA's central authentication server
Simply click on the 'add contenteer' button and fill in the form to give details of the new user.

NB. This should not normally be necessary - use the 'Select Contenteer' action from the special actions tab in preference.

Finding an existing user and 'democratizing' them:
'Democratizing' a user assigns them as the incumbant of a union position (such as Executive Officer, School Rep, Committee member etc). Once they have been assigned a position, they will appear in the relevant parts of the Representation section of the website. This 'democratizing' of a user simply includes them within the relevant section of the website and lists their status, it does not affect their level of access. (see 'access heirarchy').

To 'democratize' a user, click-on the orange button labelled 'democratize user' and you are presented with a search form which allows you to find a user by their name or position. Click-on either the 'search' or 'submit query' orange buttons and then simply 'democratize' the user by clicking-on their name as their profile appears.

Configure the Democratizer tool:
Here you can make changes to the lists of committees, School Rep positions, represented Clubs and Societies and Executive Officer titles.

Click-on the orange button labelled 'configure democratizer' and you are then presented with a series of options from 'edit clubs' to 'edit executive council'. You can now add or remove positions within the relevant clubs, schools, committies and societies by clicking-on the appropriate orange button and then using the blue buttons to create or delete a position.

4.3.3 Logged-In User' s Name

Selecting your user name option will open up your area - defaulting to your home page - and list the various options available to you within it.

4.3.4 My folder

Allows you to view all the information currently contained within your folder and its 'active status' .

4.3.5 My preferences

Upon selecting this option you are presented with a 'form' headed 'Member Details' which allows you to set a number of preferences that change how you interact with the site.

Fill-in the fields - User Name, E-Mail and Portrait - and the select the appropriate 'radio' buttons - Listed Status, Form Help and Display Names - or leave them at their default settings.

The E-Mail field is the e-mail address associated with your log-in and is used in a number of places throughout the site. Most importantly - if you forget your password, this is the address the system will send it to.

The Listed Status radio button - defaulted to listed - is the property which specifies whether your profile will show up on the members tab when someone searches the members listing.

The Form Help radio button - defaulted to yes - allows the appearance of the pop-up boxes you see next to every form field, on every form throughout the site, which provide context-sensitive help information.

The Display Names radio button - defaulted to yes - allows for the display of the name property of items throughout your area . The Name also shows up in item' s web addresses (URLs).

Add a Portrait of yourself if you wish by using the 'browse' option and uploading a suitable image, again, much as if you were adding an attachment to an e-mail.

Hit the 'save' button to effect the changes you have made.

4.3.6 Pending

When you select the 'pending' option you are presented with a list of those items which are either simply for your attention or which are awaiting some action by you with regard to their content - dependent on your position within the 'access heirarchy' .

For example, the item may be a piece of news submitted by another user and which is awaiting your approval and upgrading of its status - or otherwise.

It is in the 'pending' section of your area that items such as news or event information, for example, submitted by another user and relevant to you and/or your area, will sit until actioned by you. (The number of these items pending is shown in brackets next to the 'pending' option under 'MY STUFF' ).

Also recorded here are the items which you have created yourself and which need further action in order to become fully available on the site.

Any of the items can be edited by selecting the edit option from the action tabs and filling-in the fields on the 'form' which subsequently presents itself. 'Save' to effect any changes you make and select the 'change status' button to alter the item' s status as appropriate.

4.3.7 Log out

'Emergency, emergency - brace, brace, brace! We have a member of the Cabin Crew who has had to read the 'help information' for the 'log-out option' - let' s hope to God that they' re not flying the plane!!!!'

[1] Upon entering the site, users MUST 'log-in' in order to input, edit or manage any elements of content.

[2] You MUST select this option in order to input, edit or manage elements of content.

You will also find, as you navigate the site, that there may be certain areas in which a 'manage content' option will appear. When it does so, by selecting this option you can manage the content of the area that you are in??

Compressing Photos and Pictures to use in the Website.

It is particularly important that the file size of any photos uploaded is as small as possible. A compressed graphic, saved at the right resolution, is much quicker to display on any website, and it cuts down on the amount of server space that the site needs to run.

Image resolution

The first thing that you need to make sure of before uploading a picture, is that it is at the right resolution.

What does this mean?

Well, images are made up of dots of different colours, called pixels. When you scan an image, or take a digital photograph there can be any number of pixels in that image. Web sites use images that are set to a resolution of 72dpi, this stands for 72 dots per inch, so in every square inch (2.54cm sq) there are 72x72 dots or pixels. If you are using a graphics program like Photoshop or Paintshop Pro, then you can set the resolution by changing the images size to 72dpi and saving a new version of your image.

Compressing graphics

There are two types of images that are used on the the web, these are JPEGs and GIFs. When you save an image in an image creation program you will be asked to say what kind of file you want it to be. You will be able to choose from a list of file types that include .bmp, .tif, .psd, etc. When you sending graphics to a website you should always use .jpg (JPEGs) or .gif (GIFs) as these have small file sizes and work well on the web.

JPEGs and GIFs can be given smaller file sizes (be compressed) in different ways. To compress a GIF you cut out the number of colours, to compress a JPEG you lower the quality.

JPEGs files are best used for images with many colours in them, such as photographic images and images with lots of colour blends.

GIF images are best used for images with only a few colours in the, like line drawings and simple computer draw and paint images.

There are many programs that can help you compress images for the web. Photoshop 5.5 and later versions have an option called 'save for web' which alows to to compress and save images as JPEGs or GIFs. You could also use Macromedia Fireworks, or Paintshop Pro. Go to the 'Help' menus and search for 'compressing graphics for the web'

There are also plenty of free or shareware programs that can be used to compress graphics.

http://www.tucows.com is a good online resource for finding free or cheap software. Go on to Tucows, select your platform (Mac or PC etc.), the click on the 'Multimedia' link and then 'Image Optimizers' and you will find a list of programs that do just that.

Links

There are plenty of online guides to compression graphics. Here are a couple that you could look at.

Catskills intro web design tutorial: graphics
A good demonstration of the differences in JPEG and GIF compression. It also covers the use of the PNG format for saving web graphics.

All Things Web: Everyone's Guide to Optimizing Graphics
A very good overview of compressing graphics for the web

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Using the Access Keys

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