Difficulty developing standards, open architectures, and compatible interfaces. To date, over 1,000 publishers, advertising agencies and graphic designers are using it to obtain images offered by over 20 providers. These pictures are ready for rapid brokerage between image providers and users. This system is creating new business opportunities and relationships between picture buyers and sellers that otherwise might not have developed. Barriers Difficulty gaining consensus on a common format for digital images and a common standard for image indexing.
Many users are reluctant to substitute digital data bases for stacks of hard copy images.
Lessons Learned Picture sellers and buyers must be willing to do business differently if this kind of service is going to be successful. Widespread adoption of electronic image retrieval will be slow, but steady since work processes must be redesigned. The SMTC, funded by the federal government, provides access to sophisticated applications such as design engineering, rapid prototyping, and predictive engineering. By using these tools, companies are better able to meet customer demands, compete more effectively, and expand market share. Barriers Many rural companies have little or no computing and communications infrastructure.