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Archiver > TMG > 2003-01 > 1041518958


From: "Ronald Boyd" <>
Subject: RE: Image Format - previously RE: [TMG] I need help with the size of my photos linked to the websitecreated by Second Site
Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2003 07:49:40 -0700
In-Reply-To: <5.2.0.9.2.20030101184415.027478b8@pop3.norton.antivirus>


Lee,

Yes, that's what I said.

If the image being saved is extremely valuable, there is currently no
"proper" answer to the question: "What digital form is best to save a
photograph." There is only one "proper" way to save a valuable photograph
and that is to put it on paper and store it in compliance with accepted
archival procedures.

If the photograph isn't very valuable (perhaps because of an available
printed version or can be otherwise easily duplicated), then any answer is
determined by personal choice (read convenience)... and that list is as long
as my arm and subject to as many opinions as there are people. To make it
even more confusing, each and every choice is "correct" in some manner.

Ah, if we could only see the future. There is, for example, no guarantee
(that I am aware of) that TIF will be around 20 years from now. Reminds me
of this quote:

"Predictions are fun. They get headlines and they scare everyone silly
enough to pay attention." - Alan Carura

Ron

-----Original Message-----
From: Lee Hoffman [mailto:]
Sent: Wednesday, January 01, 2003 4:59 PM
To:
Subject: Re: Image Format - previously RE: [TMG] I need help with the size
of my photos linked to the websitecreated by Second Site

Ronald Boyd wrote:
>On the other hand, if you are going to use the files in a current program
>then the prudent thing to do is use the native (to the program) format.

I agree with Richard Brogger that this is not necessarily the best
idea. You may have a program that is very good and use it for years and
have no intention of changing. But the vendor goes out of business or
discontinues the program and it is not longer supported. So you acquire a
new program. Now you have to go back to the old program and change each
old file to a more universal format so you can use them with the new
program. If you don't there will come a time when you need some image file
and it is in the old program format and you no longer have that program (it
got thrown out somewhere along the line -- after all, you hadn't used it
for years).

>There are, of course, some other issues (e.g., lossy vs lossless) but they
>are not worthy of great consideration unless (again the caveat) it is a
>particularly valuable image.

For the master (or only) copy of the image file, I would definitely think
that 'lossy vs lossless' would be a consideration. Now if the file is
created and never opened and re-saved, then I would agree that this need
not be considered. But if one opens a 'lossy' file and re-saves it back to
the same file, data will be lost. Of course, one can simply re-scan the
original or re-acquire the image file although this may not be an option.


Lee Hoffman/KY
TMG Tips: <http://www.tmgtips.com>;
My website: <http://www.tmgtips.com/lhoffman>;
A user of the best genealogy program, The Master Genealogist (TMG)


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