Re: [Gimp-developer] GIMP's future internal image data format

[Øyvind Kolås <pippin gimp org>]

On Sat, Jan 28, 2012 at 7:23 PM, Bogdan Szczurek <thebodzio gmail com> wrote:
> W dniu 12-01-28 15:37, Øyvind Kolås pisze:
> I've mentioned it in other post, but for the sake of convenience I'll repeat
> it here.
>
> "Color model" is not just about having this or that internal representation
> of colorimetric samples (pixels). It's also about constraining color palette
> and disabling options that don't make sense in specific color model. These
> constrains are not the means of limiting designer's freedom of expression
> but the means of preventing his/hers involuntary mistakes. If I'm preparing
> grayscale illustration for print I don't want to leave there some "blue sky"
> because I forgot I can't use color.
>
> Of course it can be done during export, but if one forgets about "grayscale
> conversion" during export all of it is of no use anyway. Besides what does
> it mean "convert to grayscale"? There's a multitude of conversion methods
> which would have to be implemented anyway. What if designer would decide
> automatic conversion does not satisfy his needs? He would have to come back
> to canvas and fix something that could be done properly from the start if
> color modes (or some kind of constraints) were in. And what about "soft
> proof" based on dot gain?


These days I am not spending mentionable time developing GIMP or
GEGL,but I am eagerly awaiting GIMP to get further; and hopefully as
thathappens contribution to both GIMP and GEGL will pick up. I'll
brieflyrespond to your concerns even though these is things that have
beenbrought up and addressed many times before.
For both restricted gamuts, like late binding conversions with
ICCprofiles to CMYK, specific low bitdepth palettized images, not
spatialglobal grayscale conversions and more. Soft proofing will be
the wayto go about it, by having a live preview of the result of
themanipulation. How the data is dealt with internally should not need
tobe a concern of the content creator - the intended output should
be.(As many tools as possible should also work regardless of the
intendedoutput, currently random plug-ins refuse to work in RGB,
Grayscalewith or without alpha in indexed mode etc.)
/Øyvind K.

-- 
«The future is already here. It's just not very evenly distributed»
                                                 -- William Gibson
http://pippin.gimp.org/ ;                           http://ffii.org/