This column was first published in the MUGOO Newsletter
in April 2001.
Below are some ABCs of using images on a Mac. The list is a quick
and dirty overview to cover file formats, what images are, and several
ways to change image format. There is no test at the end!
A is for animated GIF (Graphics Interchange Format), a rapid display
of images in sequence, creating the illusion of motion.
B is for BMP (Bitmap), a Windoze format that saves images as
databases of high density dots.
C is ColorSync technology, an algorithm to match the colors of a
file displayed onscreen to a printed file
D is for the disks you save your files on.
E is for enhance, by which information in an image is changed.
F is for file format, a choice made when saving or creating a file
based on factors of size, use, and quality.
G is for GIF (Graphical Interchange File), a format originate by
CompuServe which was created to facilitate cross platform display of
graphics.
H is for Help on the Menu Bar when all else fails.
I is for images, a database of pixels, each assigned a color, that
displays a graphic.
J is for JPEG (Joint Photographer Experts Group), a group that
created a file format which takes advantage of the fact that an image
file size can be reduced without sacrificing much quality by discarding
information.
K is for command-K, a command used in GIF Builder to add a frame to
an animated GIF.
L is for light, the amount of which displayed by an image can be
increased or decreased by a graphics program.
M is for monitor, which displays black and white, 4, 16, 256,
thousands, or millions of colors.
N is the fourth letter in SCRN, which is a type of PICT file that,
when altered, can be used as a start up screen.
O is for object oriented graphics, such as a drawing in
AppleWorks.
P is for PICT, a file format seen frequently on a Mac ( on a
clipboard, for instance, or a desktop clipping of an image).
Q is for QuickTake, a device to capture images as files, to be sent
to your Mac over a serial cable.
R is for resize, changing the height and width of an graphic,
resulting in a change in quality.
S is for Save As..., a command that can be used to change a file
format.
T is for Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), which creates large files,
similar to a BMP.
U is for unit, a measurement which can be a pixel or a point, both
of which are the same on a Mac.
V is for command-V, used to paste a graphic onto a page.
W is for width, a value used in HTML to display a graphic on a
page.
X is for command-X, used cut graphics from page.
Y is for yellow, on of four colors used to print or display a
graphic using a CMYK profile.
Z is for command-Z, a command to undo or redo choices made to alter
or enhance a file. Used frequently!
Using images can be easy as ABC. With a little bit of knowledge,
hardware, and software, you can spruce up your Web page or school
report.
Next time: On the Web: Take One
