Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!munnari.oz.au!ariel!ucsvc.ucs.unimelb.edu.au!wehi!baxter_a
From: BAXTER_A@wehi.dn.mu.oz
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.programmer
Subject: Re: Intuition Image structure rendering utilities
Message-ID: <24201@wehi.dn.mu.oz>
Date: 28 Mar 91 17:58:58 GMT
References: <1214@muleshoe.cs.utexas.edu> <768@tnc.UUCP> <1991Mar26.154335.16403@fwi.uva.nl> <1017@cbmger.UUCP>
Organization: Walter & Eliza Hall Institute
Lines: 36

In article <1017@cbmger.UUCP>, peterk@cbmger.UUCP (Peter Kittel GERMANY) writes:
> There are obviously two aspects in this issue: One, the general idea of
> renderer utilities (appreciated, ok); two, the file format question.
> For the latter, the great Guru says: ALWAYS USE IFF! Someone mentioned
> ease of use on the Mac with its clipboard: Also the Amiga has a clipboard,
> and the defined file format to use there is indeed IFF! So, why invent
> again something new? Let every renderer utility work ONLY on IFF. Let
> there be some conversion utilities for the few other formats existing,
> plus to convert between HAM and plain palette and 24-bit modes. For
> what would you need more???
> 
> BTW, is it the IFF that makes the Amiga clipboard the most unused
> feature ever known?

Because:

It has been very buggy, especially in low memory conditions.

It has had no structured drawing format.

Its bit map format results in huge data transfers which make it slow.

No "Rich text file" format was implemented.

C= did not provide any system support of the clipboard:
	No debugging tools
	No Snap like utility
	No bit map visualisation - like is there any way of viewing a bit
           map in the clipboard now???

The "professional" developers have developed internal cut/paste mechanisms
and kept data structures secret, along with their file formats.

But I guess you knew all that...

Regards Alan