Added mission statement to README.md

README.md

@@ -7,16 +7,49 @@
 
 ![openexr](/OpenEXR/doc/images/windowExample1.png)
 
-**OpenEXR** is a high dynamic-range (HDR) image file format for use in
-computer imaging applications. It supports stereoscopic and deep
-images. OpenEXR's features include:
-
-* Higher dynamic range and color precision than existing 8- and 10-bit
-  image file formats.
+The OpenEXR project provides the specification and reference
+implementation of the EXR file format, the professional-grade image
+storage format of the motion picture industry. The purpose of format
+is to accurately and efficiently represent high-dynamic-range
+scene-linear image data and associated metadata, with strong support
+for multi-part, multi-channel use cases. The library is widely used in
+host application software where accuracy is critical, such as
+photorealistic rendering, texture access, image compositing, deep
+compositing, and DI.
+
+## OpenEXR Mission Statement
+
+The goal of the OpenEXR project is to keep the format reliable and
+modern and to maintain its place as the preferred image format for
+entertainment content creation. Major revisions are infrequent, and
+new features will be carefully weighed against increased complexity.
+
+The principal priorities of the project are:
+* Robustness, reliability, security
+* Backwards compatibility, data longevity
+* Performance - read/write/compression/decompression time
+* Simplicity, ease of use, maintainability
+* Wide adoption, multi-platform support - Linux, Windows, macOS, and others
+
+OpenEXR is intended solely for 2D data. It is not appropriate for
+storage of volumetric data, cached or lit 3D scenes, or more complex
+3D data such as light fields.
+
+Also a part of OpenEXR, the IlmBase library is a basic, light-weight,
+and efficient representation of 2D and 3D vectors and matrices and
+other simple but useful mathematical objects, functions, and data
+types common in computer graphics applications, including the “half”
+16-bit floating-point type. The goal of the project is simplicity,
+ease of use, and breadth of adoption. It is not intended to be a
+comprehensive linear algebra or numerical analysis package.
+
+## Features
+
+OpenEXR's features include:
+
+* High dynamic range and color precision.
 * Support for 16-bit floating-point, 32-bit floating-point, and
-  32-bit integer pixels. The 16-bit floating-point format, called "half",
-  is compatible with the half data type in NVIDIA's Cg graphics language
-  and is supported natively on their GPUs.
+  32-bit integer pixels.
 * Multiple image compression algorithms, both lossless and lossy. Some of
   the included codecs can achieve 2:1 lossless compression ratios on images
   with film grain.  The lossy codecs have been tuned for visual quality and
@@ -39,12 +72,15 @@ images. OpenEXR's features include:
   namespaces to provide protection when using multiple versions of the
   library in the same process space.
 
+OpenEXR is included in the [VFX Reference
+Platform](https://vfxplatform.com).
+
 OpenEXR is a project of the [Academy Software
 Foundation](https://www.aswf.io).  It was originally developed by
-Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) in 2003.  Weta Digital, Walt Disney
-Animation Studios, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Pixar Animation Studios,
-DreamWorks, and other studios, companies, and individuals have made
-contributions to the code base. 
+Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and first released in 2003.  Weta
+Digital, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Sony Pictures Imageworks,
+Pixar Animation Studios, DreamWorks, and other studios, companies, and
+individuals have made contributions to the code base.
 
 ## OpenEXR Sub-Modules