05-14-2003, 04:26 AM
I voted for number 2 when this vote started, thinking just what elvarien thought. Plus I kept in mind that the cutout requires thinking for each picture, selecting a representative cutout of each and every pic in a gallery.
But if done well, the cutout solution would have a couple of advantages. First of all the fact that you wouldn't get a cramped thumbnail. Esp. pics with extreme height/width proportions look really crappy when sized down to a bearable thumbnail level. Then there is the optical factor. Thumbnails of the same size mean neat, clean, and fast-loading galleries that look a tad more professional than other galleries.
But if done well, the cutout solution would have a couple of advantages. First of all the fact that you wouldn't get a cramped thumbnail. Esp. pics with extreme height/width proportions look really crappy when sized down to a bearable thumbnail level. Then there is the optical factor. Thumbnails of the same size mean neat, clean, and fast-loading galleries that look a tad more professional than other galleries.