The Conservative Cave

The Help Desk => Computer Related Discussions & Questions => Topic started by: franksolich on October 18, 2013, 06:16:26 AM

Title: problem
Post by: franksolich on October 18, 2013, 06:16:26 AM
Maybe about two weeks ago this computer apparently updated Internet Explorer and google; one or the other, or both.

Two problems have since emerged.

As many know, I use google "images" a lot, for comments I make here.

Number one, the computer's started downloading and saving images as PNGs rather than JPEGs.

I prefer that they be JPEGs, but whenever I check the "save as," it always only gives me the choices of saving an image only as a PNG or a bitmap, nothing else.

Number two, after examining a specific google image, when I hit the "back button," it doesn't go back to the page with all the images (from which one selects another image); it just "refreshes" the single image that's on the screen.

Meaning that if I want to look at another image, I have to go back to the google home page, click "images," and once again.....type in (for example) "pheasant Nebraska Custer" or "country club Nebraska Merriman."  This is getting damned tedious.

Is there anything I can do about these two issues?
Title: Re: problem
Post by: marv on October 18, 2013, 08:40:07 AM
Number one, the computer's started downloading and saving images as PNGs rather than JPEGs.

I prefer that they be JPEGs, but whenever I check the "save as," it always only gives me the choices of saving an image only as a PNG or a bitmap, nothing else.
Hmm, nothing wrong with PNGs,....... unless you're a JPEG/JPG bigot.(http://www.conservativecave.com/Smileys/default/shocked.gif)

Is there some real need that they be JPEG/JPGs, and not PNGs? I have a couple of image manipulation applications that provide a long list of file formats, and the ability to convert from one format to another.

Number two, after examining a specific google image, when I hit the "back button," it doesn't go back to the page with all the images (from which one selects another image); it just "refreshes" the single image that's on the screen.

Meaning that if I want to look at another image, I have to go back to the google home page, click "images," and once again.....type in (for example) "pheasant Nebraska Custer" or "country club Nebraska Merriman."  This is getting damned tedious.
When you select an image with the cursor, right click the mouse, and select OPEN LINK IN NEW TAB or OPEN LINK IN NEW  WINDOW.

(http://members.socket.net/~mcruzan/images/Untitled-TrueColor-01.jpg)

Then you can simply exit that TAB or WINDOW.
Title: Re: problem
Post by: franksolich on October 18, 2013, 05:12:36 PM
Hmm, nothing wrong with PNGs....... unless you're a JPEG/JPG bigot.

Is there some real need that they be JPEG/JPGs, and not PNGs? I have a couple of image manipulation applications that provide a long list of file formats, and the ability to convert from one format to another.
When you select an image with the cursor, right click the mouse, and select OPEN LINK IN NEW TAB or OPEN LINK IN NEW WINDOW.

Then you can simply exit that TAB or WINDOW.

Okay, that works; thanks. 

It's my understanding that PNGs take up a great deal more space on the computer than JPEGs; for example, there's one here that's only 80 kb as a JPEG, but 1200 kb as a PNC.  Same picture, same dimensions.

I vaguely recall seeing a little message that this was to "improve" the google-bing "experience," but for the life of me, I can't see where either change has been an improvement.
Title: Re: problem
Post by: marv on October 18, 2013, 06:18:58 PM
Check out IrfanView (http://www.irfanview.net/). It's free, and very useful. You can download images in one format, then chose some other format to save to.
Title: Re: problem
Post by: Thor on October 22, 2013, 01:17:43 PM
I'm pretty sure that Paint will convert images, too. Just when you go to save, save as a .jpg. Paint is already on everybody's PC if they're running windows.
Title: Re: problem
Post by: franksolich on October 22, 2013, 10:07:10 PM
I'm pretty sure that Paint will convert images, too. Just when you go to save, save as a .jpg. Paint is already on everybody's PC if they're running windows.

Yes, yes, yes, that's true.

But life was considerably easier--and less burden on the computer--when one could just directly save something as a JPEG, instead of having to do all this conversion stuff.

It makes me uncomfortable, having to save a PNG of 1500 mb or bitmap of 900 mb when as a JPEG it takes but 70 kb.  And so I convert.  But again, I never used to have to bother; it was always automatically a JPEG.
Title: Re: problem
Post by: Chris_ on October 22, 2013, 10:09:54 PM
PNG files are usually more legible.  Fonts on a compressed JPEG wind up being blurry and difficult to read at times.
Title: Re: problem
Post by: thundley4 on October 22, 2013, 10:39:15 PM
<<<Doesn't worry about file sizes, still has about 600 gigs of free space.  :-)