Images that are larger than 100 kB tend to take a while to load on People's browsers if they are using a dial-up connection. So this is one way of getting those photographs and documents onto the forum and keep the file size to a minimum.
The first thing you need to do is to scan the photograph or the document at a decent resolution. 300dpi is desirable so you can zoom in and look at the detail. The problem at this resolution when you save it, it will have a file size of 600kB or more. Obviously this is far to big for posting onto the forum. So, we need to reduce the file size without losing to much detail.
While viewing your document in a graphic program, you need to decide which part of the document you want to post. If it is a photostat copy from a birth registry for instance, you may only need one person on the list. So the first thing to do is use the cropping tool. Then drag a rectangle over the details you want to keep and crop. Bingo, this has already dropped the file size dramatically without losing detail on the area of interest. If the file size is still above 100 kB, what you need to do is reduce the image size to 72dpi. 72dpi is the maximum resolution that most monitors can handle. As there are whole lot of different software packages out there. i cant't tell you where the image reduction menus are, so here's one way to do it that works for everyone.
With the file open, zoom in or out to the size you think looks good enough for the forum members to look at. If you are using a pc, hit the "Print Screen" key, this will take a snapshot of the screen and place it on the clipboard. If you are using a Macintosh hold down the "apple, shift, 3" this will take a snapshot of the screen and put a file on the desktop.
With your graphics programme open. With the PC you go to file/new, this will ask if you want a new blank document. Say OK. then go to edit and paste, the contets of the clipboard will appear on screen at 72dpi. With the Macintosh you go to file open, and look for a file called "picture1" and open it. Now wether PC or Macintosh you do another crop to get rid of the excess image.
Now when you save the image its file size should be below 100kb.
This is probably as clear as mud. Here's a link to a tutoial which is a bit more professional.
deadants
http://www.inform.umd.edu/UMS+State/UMD-Projects/MCTP/Technology/image/size.html
