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In order to maximize the odds of having a web page look the same on different monitors and different browsers, we are limited to 216 colors on the Web. This is because each operating system reserves some colors for itself -- and the two don't reserve the same colors. UNIX is an entirely different breed.

The following (long) table is how I determine what these 216 browser-safe colors look like on PowerMac. Because color translates differently from paper to screen, I created this table rather than relying on books (or mousepads). I have also discovered that GIFs of the 216 colors sometimes look different (to my eye) than the colors as rendered by the browser via HTML code. Finally, this HTML document is smaller (file size) than an equivalent GIF.

In this table, I've made the areas of "white" between the blocks relatively large in order to more accurately judge the color. That being said, colors will still appear different depending on room lighting, depending upon which colors are next to them (or over them), and whether they are being viewed on a PC or Mac or Sun (brightness).

Moreover the same color will appear different to different people, because color is literally in the eye of the beholder. And about 8 percent of the male population suffers some degree of "color blindness."

For more about browser-safe colors, I recommend Lynda Weinman's books and her web site. If you only buy one book on web graphics and design, pick one of hers. They are excellent. Buy from Amazon.Com at this site and I get a small commission.