There are many other tips for posting images in HTML, but those are for next week. Until then, I'll leave you with this last one.

You should always define the size of an image in your HTML or CSS. As written above - you should never attempt to resize an image using HTML, but you should tell the browser what size the image actually is.

Why is this important? Have you ever been to a webpage that quickly loads all of the text on the page, but just little red X's where the images are supposed to be? Then, the text changes shape, like a Transformer as the images load. This is because the browser doesn't know how big the pictures are going to be until they load - and pictures will always load slower than the text. The text is in the HTML itself, whereas the picture aren't loaded by the browser sees the HTML and knows where to find them by the "img" tag.

In addition, by not defining both the height and the width of images, the browser will act weird until all the images are loaded. If you try scrolling, the browser will be unresponsive - and when all the image do load - it will hop the page back up to where you were when you started scrolling. If the number one hallmark of website visitors is impatience, its best to let them start scanning the page immediately if thats what they want, instead of forcing them to wait for the page to load.

There are two ways to define image size - either in HTML or CSS. There are arguments to either one, but I generally prefer CSS. It makes more semantic sense to separate the design elements from the page structure. You can even use inline CSS - like this:

<img src="IMAGE URL" style="height:000px;width:000px;" />

As always, AllAccess has my “The Net Untangled Tip of the Day” each weekday and a column on Website Wednesdays. So check back and together we’ll get our internet presence focused on keeping radio strong in this world of increasing competition.

Do you agree with me? Or am I full of hot air? If you have comments or any questions about radio websites – either general questions relating to the industry or the web or even specific (HTML, PHP, .NET, Javascript, etc.) questions, send me an email through http://Preppermint.net/contact . I’ll answer your question quickly and maybe even use it for a future column.