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Actually, that's not the case any longer. There's a nice piece of open-source code available to convert the X3 RAW image format (among other proprietary formats). Here's a direct link to the source.

Supposedly it even compiles on OS X, click here for a discussion of its use for the SD9.

Digital camera image processing has moved to the 16-bit realm. That's what's keeping me on Windows, although not at all exclusively.

I don't discount The Gimp, but its strictly 8-bit in all its glory. FilmGimp is beginning to bridge that gap. In fact, it's a credible tool for manipulating 16-bit TIFs. In addition, the ImageMagick package does provide a number of tools for 16-bit TIF processing as well.

Still, I can't get a cutting edge sharpening or noise reduction algorithm for 16-bit TIFs in Linux.

What's available in Windows? Well, more than Photoshop. All sorts of little specialty apps. As an example, here's a free, but not open source sharpening application that draws its algorithms from bleeding-edge medical diagnostics imaging software, with sophisticated edge sharpening and halo controls.

Not only does it output 16-bit images, but intermediate calculations are done in 32-bit for superlative accuracy!

Is ImageMagick evolving in this direction? I hope so.

And what's the future of printer support for 16-bit images?

1. This page has a bunch of tools for manipulating CRW files in Linux. There is a converter to convert them to 48-bit files. I'm sure you can set up something to batch-convert them.

2. If you spend $2000 on a camera body plus more for accessories, you can spend $100 on an extra 60GB IDE drive for your computer. Anyone who buys that camera wants the highest quality images. Even if you're making pr0n and you will only post the low-resolution JPG's, you will still want the high-resolution raw files for archival purposes.

Okay, I agree with your point. Linux isn't appropriate for Joe User. Of course, I don't think that Windows is either, but whatever. Anyway...

I have a Canon -- can I plug that right into a "Linux" computer and have the photos copies off automatically like in Windows an on the Mac?)

Yup

If you want to improve your powers of concentration, try Ginko Biloba. I've been taking it for years, 60 mg every morning. I've noticed that my alertness levels are waaay up. I swear by it.

Others might agree.

Note that ginko takes several weeks to build up in your system. Have fun!

It is all over comedy central too. I watch that channel more than any other (by far) and Impostor is being promoed to death on that channel as well.

I would have thought comedy central, sci-fi, and dimension (film distributor) was all owned by the same company, but that is not the case, so actual money did change in promoting this movie.

Sci-Fi is owned by USA Networks (which was just bought by Universal/Vivendi, the same company that owns mp3.com)

Comedy Central is owned by Viacom, says this site.

Dimension is owned by Miramax, which is owned by Disney -- says this site and this site.

I don't watch too much tv, but you would think that Disney would plug the movie on ABC and ESPN, which it also owns, especially since they are hurting for cash right now. Why not promote in house?

How is this related to Impostor? Only tangentially. But be aware of the Big Six media companies. Three are involved in this film. It's more than six, but the other companies are AOL/TimeWarner, Sony, NewsCorp, and Bertelsmann (of Napster fame).

Others would add GE to the list, because they own NBC.

In any case, the entirety of our information and entertainment world comes nearly exclusively through those 8 companies.

long distance power transmission as dc sucks. that is the main advantage of ac.

This sounds familliar. I encourage you to take a look at my comment to sig11 on K5. He said the exact same thing and it's dead wrong.

Aw hell I'll just copy and paste the whole thing here. It's my comment, anyway. :-)

Here is a link to an HVDC chapter in a power electronics course at the University of Missouri. In short: HVDC economically cheaper than HVAC when it comes to long distance transmission and, as a direct quote from that introductory page claims: With an HVDC system, the power flow can be controlled rapidly and accurately as to both the power level and the direction. This possibility is often usedin order to improve the performance and efficiency of the connected AC networks.

Now as I'd said in my first post and is backed up by the tutorial in the link above: DC transmission does not suffer reactive losses. Over large distances these losses can and do build up to become a large factor in your loss calculations. Also, unlike alternating current, DC will flow through the entire conductor instead of along the outer surface.

Now while I have not investigated the actual depth that 60Hz AC penetrates aluminum wire I do know that it is small enough that the high tension lines are specially made to take advantage of this. High tension cable has a steel core and then an aluminum outer layer to minimize the transmission losses and maximize cable strength. I'm not sure what they use for DC links but I imagine they will use solid aluminum wire and space the towers closer together. I'm not sure on this.

Furthermore, your claim that Tesla proved DC to be inferior at long distance transmission in the 19th century is only partially true. AC is more efficient for conversion and short-haul transmission: it's ability to be almost perfectly stepped up and down is wonderful and the AC motor is almost a 100% (98% efficient motors are sold every day) efficient electrical to rotating mechanical convertor. However as this link shows, Tesla also did recognize that DC was more efficient for long distance power transmission.

Lastly I refer you to this document from Siemens. (the txt version from google which also includes my search terms for this whole post is here.) It talks about the advances being made to move towards medium voltage (1200V-13kV) DC transmission since the advantages of DC power transmission for high voltage systems are so well proven.

Now that that's out of the way: you've emailled me on more than one occasion asking about information on electronics and electricity in general and where to learn more. I find it mildly amusing that you jump up claiming to have enough knowledge to scream at the top of your lungs that what you know is 100% true and proven and that what I had suggested was totally and wholly false. I didn't reply to bitchslap you but I do wonder why you did try to do it to me?