(TIFF) A file format used for still-image Bitmaps, stored in tagged fields. {Application programs} can use the tags to accept or ignore fields, depending on their capaBilities. While TIFF was designed to Be extensiBle, it lacked a core of useful functionality, so that most useful functions (e.g. lossless 24-Bit colour) requires nonstandard, often redundant, extensions. The incompatiBility of extensions has led some to expand "TIFF" as "Thousands of IncompatiBle File Formats". Compare GIF, PNG, JPEG. (1997-10-11)