ABOUT SCREEN RESOLUTION AND COLOR

Most Internet Websites now use JPEG instead of the GIF graphic format, and they also are using 800x600 as a standard size.

JPEG's allow the web author more colors, plus a settable degree of compression to make the file size smaller, therefore allowing faster page loading.

In the older days of "Online" - GIF was the preferred format. The files were large, but they were only 256 colors, and most video boards could view them effectively. Today however, most PC video boards come with a bare minimum of 1 Meg of Video Ram, with most newer cards having 8 to 64 Meg, which allow higher color settings.

With a 1 Meg video Board, you should be able to set Windows to view at least "Hi Color", or 16 bit color. (This is 32,000 colors approximately) If you have 2 Meg or more, you can crank up the colors, and also the Screen "Size". The more pixels you have showing, the more info you can fit on the screen. Keep in mind though that a High Screen Size Resolution usually requires a larger monitor, or else things will appear very small on your screen!

SETTING YOUR SCREEN IN WINDOWS

To set your Screen in Windows 95/98, RIGHT CLICK anywhere on the Desktop - Choose Properties. Then click the SETTINGS Tab. On the Bottom Left you will see the COLORS Setting, and on the Bottom Right, the Screen Size Setting. The SCREEN SIZE may affect the amount of colors you are allowed, depending on how much RAM your' video board has. (NOTE: System RAM or Memory does NOT affect this - only the amount of RAM on the video board!)

COLORS : We recommend a setting higher than the typical 256 colors that Windows comes set up with. Try a higher setting and see if it works.

SCREEN SIZE - we recommend the following :

14" monitor - 640x480

15" monitor - 800x600 or 640x480

17" monitor - 1024x768 or 800x600

19" monitor or larger - the sky's the limit!

PROBLEMS

If you re-boot your system to try the new settings, and cannot see the screen, re-start the system in SAFE MODE. (Hit F8 during booting, when it says LOADING WINDOWS). This will run the PC in 16 color (or 256 color) and 640x480 mode. You can then change the Settings again, as described above. (Some Icons may move around too - just put them back when you get a setting that works).