I'm actually processing a Batch of images in Bibble right now. I'm browsing the forums while it outputs.
This is my first post here, though I've been a TG user since ... 1996? 1997? Something like that and I've been reading these forums for a couple of years now and admiring the work of the many artists here (I would love to get into TG2, but I KNOW it would consume too much of my time, so I have refrained from giving in to that particular temptation).
I also happen to be a photographer and use Bibble as my main RAW conversion software.
The version being referenced in the post quoted is version 5. BibbleLabs has been working on it for about two years now - it's a ground up rewrite of the entire processing pipeline, as well as a complete interface overhaul and the addition of Database/Cataloging features. The new release also features file versioning (several different interpretations of the same RAW file grouped as one)m regional adjustments - via polygon, bezier curves or pixel based brush regions - and file history and undo functionality. Image quality is quite good and the speed is incredible (they have rewritten the code base to scale linearly in performance to 16 cores and beyond and - amazingly enough - it has also been demonstrated running on netbook class computers and wiping the floor with Lightroom and Aperture). In my testing it was outputting 10MP 1DmkIII files in 1.33 seconds on a Core Duo 2ghz Dell m90 laptop. Performance is, in a word, incredible.
The recently released a "preview" version of the latest release to registered users of the software. It isn't anywhere near primetime, but I figure in the next quarter year or so it should be nice and stable. Though the preview is quite buggy, the potential in the software is amazing - I actually see the end of much of my PS work, as I'll be able to do pretty much all of it on my high bit RAW files with full flexibility.
It's rather amusing to me - two of the pieces of software I like most (TG and Bibble) are created by small companies, pushing the boundaries with high quality code and amazing results, but both really struggle with release dates and communication. I know the feeling - being a small business owner myself and the person responsible for 95% of the work, it can be really tough to keep in touch and up to date with everyone.
Anyway, the current release version of Bibble is 4.10. All in all, the software is quite good, but suffers from some stability issues from time to time (I've already had one crash tonight).
They offer a 30 Day fully functional trial. Right now no new development of the 4-series is taking place and no new camera support is being added, as they have all of their resources on 5-series. The forums are a good place to check things out - their staff participates a great deal and is very responsive (much like Oshyan and Jo with Matt chiming in - over there it's cvermillion, dthorup with the creator Eric chiming in from time to time).
The website is
www.bibblelabs.comOh, the software is named after Eric's cat ... Bibble.
Anyway, hope that helps!
Regards,
Micheal