271 years before Pantone, every color imaginable in an 800-page book

Re:271 years before Pantone, every color imaginable in an 80... by bcardarella on Saturday November 19, 2022 @07:35PM (#33676729)

You're vastly underestimating the complexity of this problem. In tech we're a bit spoiled because of how digital everything in our orbit is. This is why Pantone licensing for the web is so stupid. But when you go into industries that have physical products the cost these companies would have to do proper color matching on their own is where Pantone's system makes sense. They simplified, codified, standardized, and commoditized what used to be a painstakingly costly exercise.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:271 years before Pantone, every color imaginable in an 80... by Waterluvian on Saturday November 19, 2022 @07:40PM (#33676767)

So basically, they want some money to map RGB values to a set of numbers, each of which enumerates the output of a ridiculously challenging chemistry project?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:271 years before Pantone, every color imaginable in an 80... by bcardarella on Saturday November 19, 2022 @07:45PM (#33676811)

For the web, yes which is just such a joke. For physical goods it's far more complex than just RGB.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:271 years before Pantone, every color imaginable in an 80... by pessimizer on Saturday November 19, 2022 @08:04PM (#33676948)

> they want some money to map RGB values to a set of numbers

Sorry to reiterate this in another thread, but what they want is some money to map the output of a ridiculously challenging chemistry project to some RGB values that will give a vaguely similar impression.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:271 years before Pantone, every color imaginable in an 80... by mncharity on Sunday November 20, 2022 @09:11AM (#33681007)

Hmm, or the ridiculously challenging chemistry products could have spec sheets with spectra? Then other folks could work maps.

Though that would be failing to leverage dominant market position to extract maximum value. Leaving aside the "nice years of images you'all have there... it would be a shame if..." aspect of current events. To be fair, it's not like some (Si not color) chip makers with dominant position aren't "here's the spec... and if you want to actually use the chip, without massive reverse engineering, ask sales about your support and partnership options". And I suppose there's also "surprise, v2 is discontinued - to adapt your work to v3, contact sales".

I'm exploring emphasizing spectra in K-2 color content, to help disentangle the usual incoherent blur of material properties, physical light, and physiologic color. So I've wondered the last few days if Pantone somehow prevents scanning a chip set and posting spectra. As it might also permit "New Dryadtone(tm pending) Adobe palette to the rescue, now for only $5/mo! With our wonderful Palette Pricing Stability Guarantee!"

[ Parent | on HN ]