ANTI-ALIASING? WHAT?

["Mark Chan" <chanm(at)cadvision.com>]

There is a group of graphical terms that I don't have a clue what they mean
or when to/not to use them. Here is a partial list of them:

1) anit-alising vs imagemap
2) 8 bits, 24 bit, RGB (24 bit), paletted (8 bit), CMYK (32 bit), 16 color,
grayscale (8 bit)
3) postscript level 1,2,3

I know they are related/interlinked. When should one use one and not the
other? Which best to use when? What is most appropriate for exporting? For
importing? What is most preferred for IDL applications? What does it do to
the image if you open one with the wrong settings? If you output one with
the wrong setting, then what?

any help in clarifying them is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Mark