is there a way to make files as .gif without making the image go all wierd?

Well, I don't use the .gif optimizer...but basically if you use web safe colors you should be fine in .gif format. Also, when you save as .gif it only has 256 colors (I think..lol) not 16 million like in .jpg./ Tha is why it looks crazy after saving to .gif.

If you use paint, you are pretty right, but if you use Photoshop or Paintshop or any others, they have this nifty little save function called 'save for web' - it immediately converts it to jpeg or gif in the most optimal way.