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antialiasing Last modified: Friday, June 22, 2001

In computer graphics, antialiasing is a software technique for diminishing jaggies - stairstep-like lines that should be smooth. Jaggies occur because the output device, the monitor or printer, doesn't have a high enough resolution to represent a smooth line. Antialiasing reduces the prominence of jaggies by surrounding the stairsteps with intermediate shades of gray (for gray-scaling devices) or color (for color devices). Although this reduces the jagged appearance of the lines, it also makes them fuzzier. Another method for reducing jaggies is called smoothing, in which the printer changes the size and horizontal alignment of dots to make curves smoother. Antialiasing is sometimes called oversampling.

Explanation on antialiasing graphic objects  Provides a guide for those creating graphics for the Web. Here you can find a definition on antialiasing, how it works, and how to achieve this effect. There are numerous graphic examples that go with each explanation. Antialiasing in CorelXARA This page gives a definition of antialiasing in Web page, multimedia, and presentation graphics. CorelXARA an object-based drawing and illustration program that offers fast real-time anti-aliasing of all drawn objects and text. PostScript antialiasing Provides a technical brief on PostScript antialiasing. Ray Tracing News home page Ray Tracing News is an electronic magazine which deals with issues relating to computer graphics, including antialiasing. TrueType and antialiasing Good overview of antialiasing, along with examples, information on Windows 95 font smoothing, hinting, and references to additional information on antialiased type.