Microsoft Windows XP Power Toolkit

For image acquisition, it’s hard to beat the built-in tools found in Microsoft Windows XP. However, image editing is not one of the strong points of this operating system. Fortunately, if your digital photo and imaging needs extend beyond the solutions offered by Microsoft, there are numerous other solutions available from third-party vendors, many of which are freeware or shareware. Some of our favorites are highlighted in this chapter. Each of these tools provides a specific functionality that augments the features of Windows XP.

The products covered include the following:

• Ashampoo Illuminator

• PicaView

• GIMP for Windows

• AutoImager

• Advanced JPEG Compressor

• OfotoNow