[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Raphael Quinet) writes:
> On Tue, 16 May 2000, Jens Lautenbacher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >
> > I would say, simply make a layer by default have alpha always... I
> > know I know it's more memory for that 0.001 % of cases where people
> > start with one background layer and stick to one the whole time,
> > without using alpha....
>
> I still haven't found a good reason to keep the background layer
> "special" when the image contains multiple layers. If the only
> reasons are historical or to copy the features of some well-known
> commercial program, then we could have this as an option in the
> gimprc (but IMHO the default should be to promote the background
> layer automatically).
One reason is the same as you gave for the single layer case: clearing
means filling with a choosen background layer.
So having a stack of layers with a dedicated background layer in a
dedicated color makes sense, as clearing on the upper layers will
clear to alpha, while it will clear to the background color on the
background layer
