As long as your camera is still working, however, you will be able to use its pictures with standard desktop publishing and design programs. The standards for digital photos have developed over the years -- largely among professionals -- and they're not like to change drastically as everyday users jump onto the technology.

What to look for in the future? Well, digital cameras will get less expensive. Intel, Kodak, Hewlett-Packard and other giants in the imaging business are working on new hardware and software standards that will eventually cut the price of digital cameras by up to $200. And resolution will improve as the prices go down. The industry is also likely to consolidate more on standard file formats for digital photos, which will make it easier to exchange images among programs.

You'll also begin to see more hybrid, digital video cameras that can record 20 or 30 minutes of full-motion video in compact memory cartridges -- or store literally thousands of still photos. These are still relatively expensive -- about $500 to start -- but eventually they'll blur the image between home movies and normal photos