[Digikam-users] Update, clean, and move database?

[Jean-François Rabasse]

Hi Daniel,

On Thu, 9 Jan 2014, Daniel Bauer wrote:

> Sorry, I disagree.
>
> It is not always desirable that everybody can access tags, ratings etc.
> (3 examples: models tagged with real name, but published with artist name 
> only; selection ratings, comments on customers images that are not meant for 
> their eyes; personal comments/reminders).

Sure, I totally agree with you, it's not - always - desirable.

But it's really easy to build, from archives images, images for public
release with metadata removed.
E.g. when I prepare a set of images for public web albums,
I usually script something like :
  convert original-image -strip image-for-public-release
and get images files without any sections, Exif, IPTC, XMP, only
raster data.

And when it is desirable, e.g. giving images of family events to family
members that don't use Digikam, standard readable metadata is here.


> At least for me it is absolutely no option to save this information in the 
> image files, and the reliability of the database therefore is very important 
> for me...

Hum, everyone's choice but, IMHO, you play with fire.
What means « reliability of the database » and across which time
interval ?

You shoot an image today, say early 2014, and document with tags, 
comments, etc. Ok, fine.
Now what about using your work in twenty years from now ? Or, what is 
the expected liftime of your work ? Can you assert today that you'll 
still be using Digikam in 20 years ? And that your DK database will 
still be valid in 2034, migration after migration, across versions 
changes ?

This is the kind of bet I refuse to do, too dangerous.
I prefer to rely on the XMP standard, as images with embedded XMP will 
still be useable in 20 years, whatever the DAM software I'll be 
using at that time.
(Don't known what it will be, maybe it doesn't exist yet.)


Regards,
Jean-François