Preface

Once upon a time, the only images were those painted on the walls of caves. Then came papyrus, stucco walls (and a chapel ceiling), the printing press, photography, television, and computers. Whether it's progress or not is a question for philosophers, but there is no doubt that creating, copying, modifying, and transmitting images has never been easier or faster than it is today.

PNG, the Portable Network Graphics image format, is one little piece of the puzzle. In PNG: The Definitive Guide, I attempt to make PNG a little less puzzling by explaining the motivations behind PNG's creation, the ways in which it can be used, and the tools that can manipulate it. The intended audience is anyone who deals with PNG images, whether as an artist, a programmer, or a surfer on the World Wide Web.

• About This Book
• Conventions Used in This Book
• How to Contact Us
• About the ``Second Edition'' (HTML Version)
• History
• Acknowledgments