Actually I have seen two problems with jpg files.  Some are coming up too large in kb size, still others are too small.  Huh?  For us graphically minded folks, too much compression leads to a major quality loss and spotty images.  No compression at all makes it hard sometimes for others to pull them up for viewing.  I've developed a rule of thumb over the past few years.  Almost all jpgs I save are at a level of 10 compression.  It is that level where I don't notice a quality loss.  With some really big files, I have been able to save at a level 15, but I can see the quality loss beginning.  For some files, saving at 15 really shows up in quality loss.  There are some files where I do have to take the compression down to level 1.  This is especially true when using the color red and using text.  Text almost always works better as a gif file, but there are times when the image must be a jpg or else it looks terrible.  So the compromise is to lower the compression.  For the full tutorial on Compression, go to that tutorial.

Saving a proper gif file seems to cause the most problems.  I'm going to flat out state a few things.  I know some people have been taught to not worry about it and use the export as gif option.  As for transparencies, ani shop has been taught as the easy way to do it.  But, both these options DO have problems and many people end up less than satisfied with their gif file.  So take the plunge and learn this the right way and never have problems again.  Remember that New Image I increased to
16 million colors?  Well.....I'm going to change it back to a gif with a transparency.

Rule 1:  Make sure before you go to reduce that your background is actually a solid color.  You may have to use the magic wand and select the background.  Your wand needs to be able to select the whole background area.  If it doesn't, try increasing the tolerence on the wand.  With your background color on the bottom of your color palette boxes, hit delete.  You are now assured of having a solid background color.  Ok, time to click on the down arrow to turn this into a gif.