Top File Types on the Web
by David Coffin
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The net is known for it's timeliness, breadth, and versatility, particularly in the form of the different files represented. The web has billions of web documents, images, audio, and video files each with it's own file type. And new file types are popping up every day. Sometimes these file types are very specific to a task, Adobe Acrobat Reader, allowing certain programs to open specific types of information. Other times, Apple's QuickTime, they deliver many types of resultant information. These file types are often identified by your system by UTI or Uniform Type Identifiers. Otherwise known as the endings to your filenames, with the dot, that can get so confusing, .doc .html .jpeg .avi .wmv.
We will explore the top file types found on the net today along with their advantages and drawbacks. We will cover the software required to open them, the companies that own the rights to their encoding, and when they should be used.
1. HTML
Clearly, or not so clearly, the most common type of file found on the Internet is HTML or HyperText Markup Language. The web page you're reading now is most likely encoded in HTML format. HTML uses a file extension of either .html or .htm. For a quick look at what HTML is, try clicking the alt button on your keyboard, then from the menu in your browser click "View", then click "Source." This will open notepad with the page's source code. This is an example of a single program being able to open various file types.
Html is a simple, yet powerful way to format information on the web. Since its induction 1991 HTML has seen many revisions, plenty of new functionality, and some elements that have remained. HTML is still the preferred way of representing web information. It allows for images, audio, and links to other sites in its code. It is more responsive than sites depending on interactions with a server and it will be displayed similarly on different operating systems. Your web browser is good at knowing what the code should be interpreted as. The W3C or World Wide Web Consortium defines the standards for HTML. The main format is...
<html>
<head>
<title>Hello World Title</title>
</head>
<body>
Hello World Text
</body>
</html>
Since 2001 the World Wide Web Consortium has recommended the use of XHTML or Extensible HyperText Markup Language. This new standard mixes the versatility of XML with the simplicity of HTML allowing users to make custom elements to fit their needs, but still use standard HTML for simple tasks.
2 JPEG
The JPEG is a file type made for the Internet used to compress photographic images. JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. This "web gem" reduces file sizes so images can be sent over the web quickly and using minimal bandwidth. The JPEG offers a 10 to 1 compression ratio with little loss in quality. The JPEG is a lossy file type meaning that the image you see has lost some data from the original. This makes the image less clear each time it is saved. The JPEG may only be used for still images.
3 GIF and PNG
While not suitable for photographs, the GIF Graphics Interchange Format or PNG Portable Network Graphics, will work for simple images and simple animations. The GIF was patented by Unisys and CompuServe while the PNG is not patented. These formats are lossless, not losing any data during saving. They are saved with a 24-bit RGB color scheme. These file types can be used for graphics or logos with solid colors.
4 ASP and JSP
The ASP Active Server Pages and the JSP Java Server Pages are the backbone for back-end server functionality serving dynamic web pages on the net. They allow for advanced programming to access databases and programs on the server. These file types, released by Microsoft and Sun respectively, are ideal for interactive sites that require authentication, data processing, and database access. There may be some drawbacks with the latency caused by the processing of these files. Some sites get this same functionality without an object oriented language.
5 MPEG
MPEG stands for Moving Picture Experts Group. An MPEG is a means of compressing audio and visual files. The MPEG is used for TV networks like Dish Network, cable television, SVCD, HD DVD, and Blu-ray. The Moving Picture Experts group is made up of over 300 representatives from more than 20 countries. They have regular meetings to establish new standards for the MPEG.
These file types, while far short of a comprehensive list, make up a large chunk of the world wide web. They are recognizable from different browsers and operating systems. They are used at home and by Fortune 100 companies. They are the definitive way to save and serve information on the web.