profile

Definition: Description of characteristics of a device e.g. monitor, scanner which is used by other devices to manage or alter their own behaviour. * Profiles are embedded or tagged onto a data file so that when the file is opened, devices compliant with the profile can read the extra information and use it to interpret the data. * E.g. an image file has a monitor profile embedded in it: when the image is opened, the profile is read and used to change the colour reproduction on the new monitor so that the colours more nearly match those seen on the original monitor.

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