Just after I posted my prior thoughts, I checked the Nikonians discussions, finding to my delight, that this has already been done! Read on....
"A Massachusetts programmer says he has broken a proprietary encryption code that has effectively forced some Nikon digital camera owners to use the company’s own software.
Because Nikon scrambled a portion of the file, legal worries have kept third-party developers like Adobe Systems from supporting Nikon’s uncompressed 'raw' photos in their software. Nikon sells its Nikon Capture utility for $100.
'It’s an open format now,' said programmer Dave Coffin, who posted the decryption code on his Web site this week. 'I broke that encryption–I reverse-engineered it.'"
More at this link:
http://news.com.com/Nikons+....48.html Dave Coffin is the author of the DCRaw program, an open source raw converter. Source code can be found here:
http://www.cybercom.net/~dcoffin/dcraw/index.htmlTake that Nikon (and everyone else who dares try to screw with their customers!)! This is the era of the internet, where information and data formats want to be free....nay, demand to be free! You are fighting a losing battle...and may lose the war (and your market share) by warring with your customers.
Now stop this silliness and support an open format like DNG or open up the specs for your own RAW formats. The market demands it. If your software can't compete in a competitive market, then this silly proprietary behaviour ain't gonna cure the problem.
The customers have spoken! Stick to creating better cameras and lenses, which is what you are good at.
<wide grins>