[pdftex] Image transparency

[Wendy McKay]

On Wed, 20 Jun 2001, Prof Brian D Ripley wrote:
> This is the pdftex group, and png is the bitmapped image format that pdftex
> supports best.  It does not support gif.  What have `The major browsers'
> got to do with it?  They do not display pdf at all!
> 
I am suitably chastened and edified.
I use very basic pdftex with pdf figures and  none of the fancy
stuff. I usually download  pdf files from a browser and read them  with
Adobe/Acrobat products.
I watch the pdftex list because I am really trying hard to
get Adobe to work with the TeX community. 
I will wait until all the patches are in place
before I try to use pdfTeX with all its bells and whistles.

In the meantime, I am having problems with png images on tug.org and
latex2thml. I thought there may be a connection with png images in pdftex
png images in latex2html, png images in  browsers, and png images period,
so I wanted to know why everyone is using it. 
Thank you for the explanations on the wonders of png.
Forgive the excuses, and sorry to interrupt with silly questions.  

-wendy