additions...
...web design...
protecting the image…
Our own images may at times get a rough handling. We try to keep most of them light-weight and optimized for download on slow connections. Quality may suffer slightly at times, and compromises are made.
When dealing with images that are available to us from the web, such optimization and compromising is not always the right thing. Some of these images are more like "works of art", and must survive necessary transformations with no or very small losses. It may in fact in some cases take a lot longer to finish such a transformation then to create one of our own from scratch.
Most transformations are done because the originals wouldn't look good on our slightly non-white and uneven background, so I either do something about the images, or I can't use them at all. Well, the choice is easy, really.
Some transformations are made because especially IE6 (and older) doesn't support the format – 24bit PNG with transparency for instance. I dislike having to add MSIE transparency-filters, so I rather change the format whenever possible. 8bit PNG with 1bit transparency will do in most cases, with a bit of care and testing.
Note also the factor of "free use" of other peoples work, and the "proper use" of it. That's copyright stuff and use of common sense. I think we got it about right, and I'm sure someone will tell us if they see something that isn't. Links to the originals are provided down this page.
This page display some recent transformations of images from external sources (see date near the bottom), and show the outcome and describe what it's used for. I use background-shift on hover to test out the result, giving me a diffuse and a plain background (not in IE/win).
Thunderbird…
We are Thunderbird users, so we wanted to use the full-scale icon on our pages. Besides, it's one of the best icons ever made.
8 bits PNG degrades this image slightly, but I think it survived well seen in relation to that this could
either be an 80K high resolution PNG or the 20K it is now.
Original: hicksdesign
Opera…
Yes, we are Opera-fans, if you were in any doubt. Not much done to this icon, or so it seems. I turned the official red into the unofficial blue, and tuned light and contrast slightly.
The same 8bit PNG format, using "diffusion transparency" which work slightly better on the edges than
"pattern" and "noise". It's a compromize, of course.
Original: Opera Software
Firefox…
Promoting Firefox as a good general-purpose browser, is well in line with this site's policy. A large version of that browser's icon goes well with any such message.
This image survived well as 8bit PNG, as the original has only 128 colors. Adding full transparency around the edges
is all I've done to it.
Original: hicksdesign
changes…
Sometimes I feel an urgent need for changes, but may not have decided what's coming next or completed it. Since I don't like to keep images in place if I don't like them, something must be done to fill the space on otherwise stable pages.
A quick way to solve this dilemma is to put up a "removed temporarily" sign. Maybe a strange way
to protect images, but it works for me. Comes in all shapes and sizes.
Original: our own
IE7/8…
Gosh, am I surprised… Yes, this is the logo for IE7 and 8. It doesn't look at all bad, just a bit "old". Guess that's ok – it's an old browser.
I've done nothing to this image, apart from making the background transparent.
Original: IEBlog
Konqueror…
Can't remember where, or when, I picked up this one, as a very large 24bit PNG with semi-transparent shadows. Here it is converted directly to a low weight (10K) 64 colors 8bit PNG, and I can't see anything problematic with its appearance.
The non-transparent shadow may appear a bit “strong” on some backgrounds, but in most cases it will look just fine this way.
note…
The images above are used on other pages, in a proper context. They are not our creations unless I say so—see links above—as we have only transformed them into a format that we can use on our site.
You will not find any copied images that are not "free to use on non-commercial sites" like ours—that we are aware of. We may have created some that look like they are copied from somewhere else, but those are either "free to use on non-commercial sites", or they are entirely our own creations from bottom to top. We use similar tools and methods for all our own creations, as there aren't all that many tools and methods available to us.
sincerely 
Hageland 13.apr.2004
last rev: 14.dec.2008
additions...
