The World Wide Web was designed as a text-based communications medium for research purposes. The development of browser technology by computer scientists at the University of Illinois, some of whom went on to found Netscape Communications Corp., provided authors the ability to include images such as schematic diagrams in their pages. As hobbyists and commercial interests moved into web design, they happily applied this technique to create more visually pleasing documents.

There are, however, some problems associated with web imagery. Large images require a lot of bandwidth to download in a reasonable time. Because monitors display at fairly low resolutions (72-90 dpi), highly detailed photographs may lose their clarity. Differences between platforms (PC and Mac) can cause images to appear either overly dark or washed out. Finally, authors sometimes get carried away with elaborate graphic designs and lose their informational focus. [This criticism would not apply to so-called "gallery" sites set up for the express purpose of making a set of images available to viewers.]

MMI understands both the power and the limitations of digital imagery on the internet. Careful attention to detail must be applied to these files. They should support and enhance, not overwhelm or distract from, the content of a page. [HOME] [Contact Us]