Re: [Gimp-user] GIMP 2.8 usability discussion - Argument consolidation and referencing

["scott s." <75270 3703 earthlink net>]

On 7/14/2012 16:23, Richard Gitschlag wrote:
>  > Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:56:50 -1000
>  > From: 75270 3703 earthlink net
>  > To: gimp-user-list gnome org
>  > Subject: Re: [Gimp-user] GIMP 2.8 usability discussion - Argument
> consolidation and referencing
>  >
>  > In particular, a problem I encounter with workflow in GIMP is that
> GIMP doesn't really
>  > handle (AFAIK) meta-data embedded with image raster data in file formats
>  > (in my case, Tiff tags). Treating import in a manner analogous to
>  > export (ie, import and export may cause loss of data) seems reasonable
>  > (if only to me of course).
>  >
>  > scott s.
>  > .
>  >
>
> Metadata is, almost by definition, non-essential to the layer and pixel
> composition of an image; so the fact GIMP ignores it during load only
> makes a difference if you need to write said composition back to a TIFF
> file with original metadata preserved.  (Which is, of course, little
> consolation if your particular workflow relies on this.)

Agreed, which is why my argument is that "file -> open" means to open a
GIMP project file, i.e. xcf.  Using other file formats would require a
"file -> import" action, which implies that the file is being converted
to GIMP's project format and of course may result in loss of data that
GIMP doesn't import.  This would be completely analogous to save/export.
This is the behavior I am familiar with in various 3d design software:
importers, exporters, and renderers for the native project format.

scott s.
.