As a result, the files can be viewed, inline, using Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Firefox, Camino, Safari, and Opera without any add-ons, plug-ins, or helper applications.

Using itsagif, you can produce interlaced, transparent GIF files with as many colours as you wish. This allows you to place images on the web that include

• transparent areas,
• smooth gradiations of colour, and
• sharp colour edges.

The web used GIFs extensively in its infancy. The more recent PNG format is an improved format for still images (GIF files can include animations) and is an option if you are willing to limit your audience to visitors using modern browsers. Nevertheless, PNG does not give as good compression as GIF for some images; an image with 300-1000 colours may compress better as a GIF.

Most itsagif users generate “regular” GIF images since itsagif's colour reduction is more interactive and produces better results than the colour reduction offered by other image conversion programs. Why? Special care had to be taken while programming itsagif's colour reduction, so that the resulting images could contain more than 256 colours - that attention to detail produced an exceptional colour reduction process. Ironically, itsagif users have difficulty finding images that need more than 256 colours for good reproduction, so most itsagif users choose to remain below the 256 colour limit for maximum compatibility. Even while staying below the 256 colour limit, multiple colour layers may be used.

In addition to a manual (Macintosh / Windows) and a tutorial (Macintosh / Windows), we’ve placed the following three example itsagif images online: Hong Kong Ferry, Queen, and Fiscal Breakdown.

The Graphics Interchange Format(c) is the Copyright property of CompuServe Incorporated.
GIF(sm) is a service mark property of CompuServe Incorporated.