please take a look at image 1 and 2

image 01


image 02


the first is a polygon mesh created with the maximum no. of subdivisions. Notice the edge is jaggered. This is after i have applied maximum *soften edge* option - 180.0000

I would like to be able to make interactive web models and so the polycount needs to be low. But the only thing that seems to get rid of this jagger (which is only on the edge) is excessive smoothing which takes the poly count skyward and out into the abyss.

The second image is the same object with no smoothing or softening but modified/converted from polygon to subdivision. Note the beautifuly smooth edge.

Can anybody please help me with this problem that has been beyond my comprehension since the begining of time.

thank you