Re: [Gimp-user] Is there a single bit that can accidentally flip an image to negative? (not Gimp specific)

[Ofnuts <ofnuts laposte net>]

On 07/28/2013 08:01 PM, Jay Smith wrote:
> So, if I am understanding correctly, all I have to do is remove the 
> profile and the image should be fine.

Technically you should better replace the profile by  a correct one... 
or convert the images to sRGB (not using the imbedded profile, profile)

> In a way, that still leaves the original question; but perhaps it is a 
> silly question.  Whether or not flipping one bit (in the profile 
> section of the image file) would cause this kind of damage?  Or 
> whether there would have to be extensive changes to the profile to 
> cause it?
>
> My best guess about the underlying source of the cause is either 
> defective memory (RAM) or defective individual disk controller or 
> defective RAID disk controller sometime in the last 15+ years. 
> Unfortunately, all three problems have occurred at least once and I am 
> just lucky that only a few random images have been found to be 
> damaged.  Still, the stray neutrino theory sounds better.

I don't believe that all images would be subject to the same random 
change due to cosmic rays or else... My hypothesis is that someone once 
played with a color profile on one image, and never noticed that this 
changed the profile data file... Then all images subsequently scanned on 
that machine received a bad profile... As to why did it went 
unnoticed....  until recently most software (including web browsers) 
would not handle color profiles by default (or not at all) and thus 
would display an almost-correct profile-less rendering.