[fitsbits] FITS Liberator (article on space.com)

[Robert Hanisch]

I think you all are being are bit overly critical.  The professional
outreach folks use Photoshop as their primary tool.  I know and work with
Lars and Zolt and know that this effort was totally well-intentioned.  And
the FAQ comment about the 8-bit version does not sound like a cheap-shot to
me.  It says:

4. Q: Photoshop CS is too expensive. Are there other options?
A: You can also use Photoshop Elements 2.0. It costs around 99$, Note: it
does only support 8 bit (which should be enough in most cases).

Seems to me to be a simple, objective statement.

I think it is a good thing if FITS files become more easily accessible to
the people who do EPO work routinely -- it only helps to get quality imaging
into their hands, and thus into the broader community.

Cheers,

Bob

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Teuben" <teuben at astro.umd.edu>
To: "Patrick P Murphy" <pmurphy at nrao.edu>
Cc: "Don Wells" <dwells at nrao.edu>; <fitsbits at nrao.edu>
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 11:13 AM
Subject: Re: [fitsbits] FITS Liberator (article on space.com)


>
> I presume their plugins add a lot more than just reading/writing fits
files...
>
> i love their sentence in their FAQ on the code:
>
> Q: Are you planning on releasing the source code?
>
> A: In most cases the answer would be that we are not allowed to do this
due to
> our contract with Adobe Systems. There is however a possibility to perhaps
share
> code if you apply for, and become, an Adobe SDK developer. Note that we
have
> used NASA's CFITSIO for the FITS routines and these are public.
>
> what a shame of our well spent tax dollars that we have this wonderful
product
> locked up.....  they also have a cheap shot at the 8bit only $99
> photoshop-light.
>
> - peter
>
> On Fri, 9 Jul 2004, Patrick P Murphy wrote:
>
> > On Fri, 9 Jul 2004 10:53:36 -0400 (EDT), Peter Teuben
> >    <teuben at astro.umd.edu> said:
> >
> > > I am hoping a GIMP plugin would also become available.
> >
> > My version of the GIMP (1.2.3-16 on RedHat 9) has FITS read/write
> > capability and I'm fairly certain it came that way (i.e. wasn't a plugin
> > I had to add).  I haven't exercised it much, but to first order it does
> > work the way one would expect.
> >
> > - Pat
> >
>
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