Here are some suggestions for keeping our Files area neat and tidy, as well as for conserving our precious 20Mb storage allocation:

• Whenever possible, post large files or large groups of files on our sibling group, HPforGrownUps-Graphics. You can get there via the file Portkey.htm, which is posted at the top of the Files area in our eGroup. You do not need to be a member in order to view or post files there.

• Only *folders* should appear at the top level of the Files area. All pictures and other files should be posted within appropriately named folders.

• Avoid creating new folders unnecessarily. If, for example, you want to post pictures of HP merchandise for Christmas, put them in the existing "HP Merchandise" folder rather than creating a new folder called "Christmas Merchandise." You can always create subfolders within an existing folder.

• Please compress your graphics as much as possible. Sizing images to 200x300 pixels or less saves storage. A typical photo should take between 15 and 50k of storage, depending on its dimensions and the amount of detail present. Most photographs compress well using JPEG format (.jpg or .jpeg). GIF format is suitable for graphics with sharp lines and high contrast. Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format is good for posting documents that contain a mixture of text and images. NEVER post a picture in bitmap (.bmp) format; TIFF (.tif) format files can also be quite large.

• Please rotate or retire your pictures after a decent interval, or when they are no longer of interest. Consider moving older items to the Graphics eGroup as described above.

• Please contact one of the moderators if you need assistance with technical issues such as compression.

• Please don't be annoyed if any of the moderators send you gentle reminders regarding files you have posted -- we're just trying to be helpful.