It looks like Microsoft strategy is to let out every day or every week another detail concerning Longhorn.

After finding out yesterday that Longhorn will not include the My prefix in the name of certain folders, today Microsoft decided to reveal yet another surprise, the fact that the next operating system will support RAW images.

Microsoft's decision is the consequence of the sales boom recorded in the field of digital cameras for the past few years, and in order to implement this facility the Redmond-based company worked together with the major players in the photography industry, as for example Adobe, Canon, Fuji and Nikon.

Images in .RAW format are practically the digital images' negatives, being produced prior to the photo's conversion into formats as .JPEG, TIFF, GIF or other ones from the same category.

The professionals and users in love with the digital image prefer to work with .RAW files because they are not compressed and offer the best quality and most refined details.

Microsoft announced that not only Longhorn will support the RAW format, but it will also be available for Windows XP by means of an upgrade.
Windows XP will be endowed with a program called RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer which will support the RAW digital format from both Nikon and Canon.

Microsoft is also preparing a Digital Image Suite version for the editing and organizing of RAW images.

Each digital camera model may present changes to the RAW format and that is why Microsoft has announced that it is working to establish partnerships with as many manufacturers as possible.