Ed,
I think that you are correct. <img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" />
I seem to remember having read someplace that when pictures are reduced in size that there is a routine that averages the reduced pixels* in the smaller file size and in so doing gives a slightly better appearance to the picture.
Or sumthing like that. <img border="0" alt="[ouch]" title="" src="graemlins/c.gif" />
Viggo <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />