A standard for shrinking graphics so they transmit faster between modems and take up less space on your hard drive. Graphics can be reduced to 5 percent of their original size, but the image quality deteriorates. Compressing graphics to 30 or 40 percent of their original size results in minimal loss of quality. Ultimately the trade-off between quality and compression depends on the type of graphic. For example, if the graphic contains large areas of an identical color (like a blue sky), then higher compression is possible while still maintaining acceptable quality. See also LOSSY COMPRESSION.