Some of the largest names in photography hardware and software are teaming up
on a new project to create a standard image metadata system.
The Metadata Working Group has put forward the first specifications for the
embedding of metadata within image files. Founding members include
Microsoft,
Apple,
Adobe,
Sony,
Canon
and
Nokia.
The goal of the programme is to create a standard system for the data, which
can then be used by image editing and indexing software to organise and classify
individual photos based on criteria such as location, date and subject.
The metadata system is of special importance to professional photographers
whose photo archives will often include thousands of images.
However, as family photo albums continue to go digital, metadata will also
become increasingly important to the home consumer market.
"Lack of metadata interoperability has led to significant frustration for
consumer and professional photographers, and our companies have spent
considerable resources trying to deal with the problem," said Josh Weisberg,
director of Microsoft's Rich Media Group and chairman of the Metadata Working
Group.
"Getting these industry leaders together to rally around metadata
interoperability is a real turning point, one that we believe will result in
technology that is easier for photographers to use."
The first specifications offer guidelines to companies on how to store and
read metadata, as well as methods for dealing with overlapping standards.
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