Optimizing Images

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The technology for high-speed Internet connections is improving every day, but the majority of Internet users still use modem connections. Users in most U.S. urban areas enjoy all kinds of options for high-speed connections, but most rural areas don't yet have that option, nor do a lot of other countries. When you get used to using high-speed connections, it can be really easy to forget that you are privileged and that many users don't have such access. Maybe sometime in the near future file size won't be a concern, but for now it is. You should keep in mind that the larger the file or combination of files on a Web page the longer it takes to load. The connection speeds determine how long each file takes to load.

Optimization, or getting your image to the smallest possible size while retaining an acceptable quality, is one of the most important factors in determining how quickly your Web page loads. Not only can you export with GIF and JPEG images in the same document, you can also apply different settings to specific areas of a JPEG image.

Note 

The file types currently available for the Web include the PNG format, but all browsers do not yet support this format, so you may want to hold on using that one just yet.

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