ISO Images

People: What is wrong with ISO images?

It happened to me that I wished to download "yet another bootable cd utility" and, upon a painstaking 600Mb download, have recieved a file named 'bootutils.susd3dcdf'.
Searching the google for a few hours I have discovered that the file type is 'Special Ultra Super-Duper 3D CD Format', for which, naturally, I need the 'Special Ultra Super-Duper 3D CD Format Converter and/or burner', which is only $19.95.

Following the philosophy that it is good to have different options, I would install onto my computer the following suite of tools:
- PowerISO ($29.95)
- MagicISO ($29.95)
- Blindwrite ($29.99)
- CloneCD ($39)
- Nero 7 ($59.99)
- InstantCD ($18.65)
- DiscJuggler ($49.99)
- ...

Total value of the software: $257.

This would allow me to open (and burn) about 70% of the possible disk image formats.
Not to mention that there are some free programs out there with their own image formats.

The important question to ask is:
"What do these formats _offer_, that makes them worth adopting?"
And my answer:
"Absolutely nothing."
They are all formats to store raw binary data from a CD, with a few exceptions that can also record 'hidden' or 'copyprotect' tracks. The only use for that, however, is ability to copy movies and music illegaly.

Aside from that, the formats perform _EXACTLY THE SAME FUNCTION AS ISO_, with the exception that I cannot burn them without propriatery software.

So, people, please _PLEASE_, if you have to deliver your software in a CD image format, USE THE BLOODY STANDARD! THAT IS WHAT IT IS THERE FOR!

Thank you.