Image Processing Software, Advice for image processing newbies Options

[Juramike]

What kind of image processing software would be good for a newbie interested in starting to manipulate basic images (JPEG, TIFF, PPG)?

Is there a big difference between Photoshop CS3 and Photoshop CS3 Extended?
What do y'all recommend?

(And how can I get this cheap? Man, this stuff looks expensive!)

Any advice would be helpful, but I am so NOT an IT guy: I still move my lips when I try to read software manuals. (I usually just click the default option on installation windows and jsut hope everything works OK.)

-Mike

[JohnVV]

What I'm really trying to figure out is if and where map-projected lat/long information is maintained. Thanks!

?
in the isis cub file it is in the header and from spiceinit
the time is given in the header and the location is imported from the spice kernel
with the time and location the lat/long for every pixel can be calculated

now some cub files like a map projected file like this example

CODE

  GROUP = ISIS_INGESTION
    PDS2ISIS_VERSION = "2003-05-01"
    PDS2ISIS_TRANSLATION_TABLE =
      "/usgs/isisd/galdata/ssi_pds2isis_translation.def.1"
  END_GROUP = ISIS_INGESTION
  GROUP = ISIS_MOSAIC
    SPACECRAFT_NAME = (GALILEO_1,GALILEO_1,GALILEO_1,GALILEO_1)
    INSTRUMENT_ID = ("SSI","SSI","SSI","SSI")
    PRODUCT_ID = ("C9I0005","G2I0073","E6I0060","21I0170")
    IMAGE_NUMBER = ("0401740700","0359986578","0383758500","0506406839")
  END_GROUP = ISIS_MOSAIC

  GROUP = IMAGE_MAP_PROJECTION
    A_AXIS_RADIUS = 1821.46
    B_AXIS_RADIUS = 1821.46
    C_AXIS_RADIUS = 1821.46
    POSITIVE_LONGITUDE_DIRECTION = "WEST"
    KEYWORD_LATITUDE_TYPE = "PLANETOCENTRIC"
    LONGITUDE_SYSTEM = 180
    MINIMUM_LATITUDE = -90.0
    MAXIMUM_LATITUDE = 90.0
    WESTERNMOST_LONGITUDE = 180.0
    EASTERNMOST_LONGITUDE = -180.0
    MAP_RESOLUTION = 31.7904741933759
    MAP_SCALE = 1.0
    MAP_PROJECTION_TYPE = "SIMPLE_CYLINDRICAL"
    CENTER_LONGITUDE = 0.0
    PROJECTION_LATITUDE_TYPE = "PLANETOGRAPHIC"
    LINE_PROJECTION_OFFSET = -2861.5
    SAMPLE_PROJECTION_OFFSET = -5722.5
  END_GROUP = IMAGE_MAP_PROJECTION
END_OBJECT = QUBE
END

is set in the "IMAGE_MAP_PROJECTION" group

or for this cub of dione "N1507741140_2.cub"( after spiceinit and NOT map projected ) it is in the
"Group = Instrument "( the time) &"Group = Kernels " part of the header & in the body rotation

CODE

Group = Instrument
    SpacecraftName          = Cassini-Huygens
    InstrumentId            = ISSNA
    TargetName              = Dione
    StartTime               = 2005-284T16:30:24.493
    StopTime                = 2005-284T16:30:24.553
    ExposureDuration        = 60.0 <Milliseconds>
    AntibloomingStateFlag   = On

------------------------------------and in the kernel ------------------------------------------------
Group = Kernels
    NaifFrameCode             = -82360
    LeapSecond                = $base/kernels/lsk/naif0009.tls
    TargetAttitudeShape       = ($base/kernels/pck/pck00009.tpc,
                                 $cassini/kernels/pck/cpck15Nov2005.tpc)
    TargetPosition            = (Table, $base/kernels/spk/de405.bsp)
    InstrumentPointing        = (Table, $cassini/kernels/ck/05282_05287ra.bc,
                                 $cassini/kernels/fk/cas_v40.tf)
    Instrument                = Null
    SpacecraftClock           = $cassini/kernels/sclk/cas00139.tsc
    InstrumentPosition        = (Table,
                                 $cassini/kernels/spk/051114R_SCPSE_05275_05293.bsp)
    InstrumentAddendum        = $cassini/kernels/iak/IssNAAddendum004.ti
    ShapeModel                = Null
    InstrumentPositionQuality = Reconstructed
    InstrumentPointingQuality = Reconstructed
    CameraVersion             = 1
  End_Group
End_Object
---------------- and the body rotation-------------------------
Object = Table
  Name           = BodyRotation
  StartByte      = 4284569
  Bytes          = 40
  Records        = 1
  ByteOrder      = Lsb
  Description    = "Created by spiceinit"
  Kernels        = ($base/kernels/spk/de405.bsp,
                    $base/kernels/pck/pck00009.tpc,
                    $cassini/kernels/pck/cpck15Nov2005.tpc)
  SolarLongitude = 339.77037710307

so if it is not map projected then it is calculated on the fly
qview does that when you view an image