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October 2004
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2004.10.04 18:20 "Re: BigTIFF extension issue", by Joris Van Damme
Steve, > Does anyone want to attempt to impartially summarize the key arguments for and > against keeping the extension as ".tif"? That is not easy, since many times, both parties differ as much on the facts as they do on the opinions. For example, one of the key arguments against changing the extension is that it is not common practice to do so for a new version of the same file format, and yet one of the key arguments for changing the extension is that it is common practice to do so for a majort backwards incomatible new version of the same file format. The argument of being clear for users is used by both parties, too. I've made some attempt, but I feel it is safer not to claim anything at all, not even that the attempt is impartial, and to include pointers to archived message for more details. We (almost) all seem to agree on: - BigTIFF is not a new file format, but a new version of the TIFF format. http://www.asmail.be/msg0055457930.html http://www.asmail.be/msg0055322059.html http://www.asmail.be/msg0055358857.html Except for http://www.asmail.be/msg0055356811.html We are for changing the extension because: - It is common practice for major changes (no examples given yet) http://www.asmail.be/msg0055487627.html - It will cause confustion and pain http://www.asmail.be/msg0055484872.html - A lot of users will nag vendors because of lack of support for some .tif files http://www.asmail.be/msg0055457930.html - It will cause a 'not a tiff file error' http://www.asmail.be/msg0055326091.html - Users expect TIFF to be compatible accross versions of Photoshop http://www.asmail.be/msg0055358857.html We are against changing the extension because: - It is not common practice, not even for major changes (eg gif 89a, progressive jpeg, tiled tiff, bmp) http://www.asmail.be/msg0055457930.html http://www.asmail.be/msg0055321803.html - It is clear for users http://www.asmail.be/msg0055457930.html http://www.asmail.be/msg0055487945.html - It would promote getting accepted and supported since users will nag vendors http://www.asmail.be/msg0055457930.html - The 'not a tiff file error' is in fact a correct consequence of BigTIFF being backwards incompatible, similar to when tiled TIFF was introduced http://www.asmail.be/msg0055323787.html - The 'not a tiff file error' can be avoided in applications updating to LibTiff 3.7.0 alpha http://www.asmail.be/msg0055321737.html - If I get a haircut, I do not logically need to change my car's licence plate as a consequence of that - BigTIFF is not a new format, so hold on to extension http://www.asmail.be/msg0055356809.html - 3 letter namespace may be getting smallish, would be good to use it conservativly http://www.asmail.be/msg0055487945.html Final note: threadrelationships in the archive are not yet manually reviewed, and I noticed they are not completely correct for most recent messages. So if you need to make use of that, don't do it immediatelly, give me a chance to manually correct them first. Joris Van Damme info@awaresystems.be http://www.awaresystems.be Download your free TIFF tag viewer for windows here: http://www.awaresystems.be/imaging/tiff/astifftagviewer.html