Chris Murphy, co-author of Real World Color Management, is without a doubt one of the smartest guys I know  — particularly on the hard-to-digest subject of graphics color management. So I listen up when Chris talks. Chris writes on the new ability to synchronize color settings across Adobe Creative Suite 2 software (Photoshop CS2, Illustrator CS2, InDesign CS2, and GoLive CS2) using Adobe Bridge.

Chris suggests you first set up your color settings in one application, like Photoshop. He recommends different settings for general purpose work (North America General Purpose 2 settings), Internet production work (North America/Internet settings, which convert images to sRGB when they are opened), preparing images for the Web in Photoshop (North America General Purpose 2 along with choosing Edit>Convert to Profile and using sRGB as the Destination space), and RAW photo editing in the Camera Raw interface (Adobe RGB or ProPhoto editing space). Then launch Adobe Bridge (which comes with Creative Suite 2) and synchronize color settings across all your Creative Suite software by choosing the settings group you want from Bridge.

If any of this sounds like geek speak, don't worry. It is. But it's geek speak you really need to know. If you need further explanation, read Chris' full article in print in the May 2005 issue of SBS Digital Design Magazine or this excerpt from the article at graphics.com.