It will allow Windows to generate previews just as if it were a JPEG or any other readable format.
For those who don't use any type of DAM (Digital Asset Management) system, this will be an incredibly useful utility just for the fact that Windows can now create thumbnails of your images instead of you guessing or remembering long numbers.
I guess that Microsoft is finally recognizing the VERY large market that digital photography has become. Link:
Viewing and Organizing RAW Images in Windows XP.doc
Overview Often likened to a ‘digital negative,’ a RAW image is the native image format for a growing number of quality digital cameras. RAW images typically contain the original camera sensor data recorded at the time of capture along with camera settings and other information. Using special PC software, photographers can “process” RAW images to vary the exposure, white balance, and other settings long after the image was captured. This creative flexibility and extra level of protection against mistakes are key reasons photographers choose to shoot RAW.
Because of the camera-specific nature of RAW files, they are not supported natively within Microsoft Windows. As a result, photographers shooting RAW have not been able to take advantage of the built-in features provided in Windows XP for viewing, organizing, and printing RAW photos--until now.
This paper discusses how users can view, organize, and print camera RAW images using the Microsoft RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer Powertoy for Windows XP.
System Requirements • Supported Operating Systems: Windows XP, Windows XP Home Edition , Windows XP Professional Edition , Windows XP Tablet PC Edition The whitepaper requires Microsoft Word to view. To use the software, Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or greater is required. ________________________________________
Instructions Download the white paper to your computer and open it in Microsoft Word to view.