Unfortunately, the sample images provided here will look different on different brands of workstations. This is because of the different methods that vendors use for correcting the non-linearity of the CRT display, also known as ``gamma correction.'' Some vendors, such as Silicon Graphics, provide gamma look up tables that are loaded with values to do the proper gamma correction. Other vendors don't do anything about gamma correction. The result is that images such as these that were created on a Silicon Graphics workstation will look too dark when viewed on PCs running Windows, for example, and images that you might find elsewhere that were created on other systems will look too light when viewed on an SGI workstation. As Paul Haeberli from SGI says ``AAAAARRGH! This is such an INCONVENIENCE!'' Unfortunately, there are no good solutions to this problem. If you are using a computer that doesn't do any gamma correction, you can try adjusting the brightness and contrast on your monitor. On workstations like Digital Equipment Alphas, when viewing the images with the ``xv'' viewing program, we suggest that you change the gamma correction factor to 2.0. (This can be done from "controls" menu panel; pick the "ColEdit" button to bring up the Color Editor panel. In the "Intensity" field, click the "Gam" button and type in a value of 2.0.)
If you want to read more about display gamma correction, take a look at Paul Haeberli's Grafica Obscura. Paul includes a brightness test pattern that can be used to optimize the adjustment of both your workstation's gamma factor and/or montior brightness and contrast.