Static Graphics
Static (non-moving) graphics can enhance the appearance, the information content and the navigational clarity of your Web pages. Various graphic formats work on the Web . All browsers -- even early versions -- support at least two:

• GIF format: A standard pioneered over a decade ago by Compuserve, GIFs on the Web can be animated, and can include transparent sections where the background shows through. Both properties make GIFs capable of powerful effects.
• JPEG or JPG format: This standard is optimized for photographs and can display a more subtle color palette with less demand on system resources.

Two issues you should be aware of when adding graphics are:

• File size: The less bulky your files, the more quickly they'll download and display on a user's computer. "Small is beautiful," up to a point. Software programs that can create or modify JPG graphics typically offer you a choice of file compression ratios; the trade-off involves size versus image quality. GIF graphics may be optimized for both color and size using a Web -based tool called The GIF Wizard.

• Color Palette: One way to reduce file bulk is to reduce the number of colors in the image. There is a standard "Netscape" 216-color palette that will display graphics exactly as you processed them on any computer. But this palette may not work well with all images, and may leave some looking blotchy or even unintelligible. You can provide higher resolution images saved in a larger color palette, but it may be best to make them optional, since they may tax system resources on the user's computer. browsers running on machines without a lot of memory will compromise by collapsing non-standard color palettes, making "best guesses" with unpredictable results.

Simple Animations
Simple looping animations -- images that spontaneously repeat the same pattern of motion over and over again in the same position on the page -- can be created as animated GIF files and included in a Web page like any other image. All the standard browsers can display these animations, although the caveats about file size and color palette still apply.