This web site says: "... To this end,...

This web site says: "... To this end, we advocate open documentation of information about the how the raw data is stored and the camera settings selected by the photographer. Many have suggested (and Adobe has created) a common, open file format for RAW image files for all camera makers to use as a solution to the RAW problem. OpenRAW is not advocating a common file format as the solution, though a common, openly documented RAW format could solve the problems of proprietary RAW image files...."

I disagree with "not". I believe a common file format is EXACTLY the solution we want. Simply documenting a variety of Raw formats is at best a step on the way. At worst it may lead camera manufacturers to create the illusion of openness while doing little to create the open world that photographers and users of photographs surely want.

I advocate 2 principles:

1. Raw formats should have no UNNECESSARY differences between them.

2. There should be a documented standard under change control with just enough flexibility to eliminate NECESSARY differences.

Adobe's DNG appears to be aligned with these principles. I can't judge whether it fully satisfies them, but it illustrates these principles well.

Compare this with open systems computer standards. Recently I wanted more storage on my old laptop. I bought a PC Card with 2 USB 2.0 ports, and a hard drive with a USB interface. It all came together without any of the manufacturers needing to test the combination, or develop for one-another's published proprietary interfaces.

A common standard distributes relatively small tasks to all parties so that their products can talk to one-another. Merely documenting proprietary interfaces gives an ever-escalating combinatorial problem. Nikon can say "we've published our SDK, what is the problem?" My laptop manufacturer could have said "we've published our proprietary storage interface, what is the problem?" Would I now have that extra storage space had this been the case?

TIFF, JPEG, PNG, ... DNG (or equivalent). Sounds plausible to me.
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http://www.barrypearson.co.uk

Barry Pearson – Sun, 2005/04/24 – 5:42am