Digital BW, The Print

> 1-Is the 8 vs 16 bit quality of the image set by the 
camera/scanner?  
> (When I convert color AdobeRGB images to greyscale, using Image-
>Mode-
> >Grayscale in Photoshop, I get 8 bit files.)

Yes - basically you can't (usefully) add bits to an image.  My 
scanner (Minolta DSIII) has a 12 bit depth (from memory) which is 
stretched to 16 or squeezed to 8 depending on which settings you 
choose.  In 16 bit mode there will be gaps in the data.  To get from 
12 to 8 bits you dispose of some (valuable) information.
 
> 2-You mention the limitations of PhotoShop6.  Should I upgrade to 
> CS?  Or could I do the same thing with PictureWindow, which some 
> people seem to like? (I downloaded it to try; it also has a 
learning 
> curve.  Is it worth using, or after all the time will I be kicking 
> myself for having not used CS in the first, or second, place?)
> 
I use CS, and used PS6 before.  I would say that the ability to use 
layers in 16 bit is very important.  I'm afraid I have no experience 
with Picture Window, although have heard good things about it - if it 
can do this then it's worth a shot.

Cheers

Chris