Jason Dunn of Digital Media Thoughts interviewed AnnMarie Thomas, the Marketing Manager from Microsoft’s Digital Imaging Group , and here’s how it went:

Shortly after Digital Image Suite 10 was released, I sent an e-mail to a contact I had on the Digital Imaging team with some interview questions. Nine months and one new version later, a helpful PR person managed to connect my with the right person and get my questions answered. Because they were written before Digital Image Suite 2006 was released, they have a past-tense tone to them. Nevertheless, it’s a good read.

DMT: Microsoft’s approach to photo applications has been criticized for being fragmented and confusing – there have been several product name changes over the years, and more versions than I can easily count. The name “Digital Image Suite 2006″ seems to bring it in line with other Microsoft products such as Office and FrontPage. Does it also bring with focus around a single name and brand?

AnnMarie Thomas: We streamlined our product portfolio to make it easier for our consumers. Our product lineup used to include three versions for different levels of users, but this year we released two versions Microsoft Digital Image Standard 2006 and Microsoft Digital Image Suite 2006. Standard includes all of the main organizing features and several of the editing features of its counterpart. It is an ideal program for new digital photographers. Suite includes a wealth of added programs and features: PhotoStory 3.1, intelligent panoramic stitching, easy photo sharing, archiving and burning options, as well as a three-year warranty on top of all of the features and function of Standard.

DMT: Will there be multiple versions of Digital Image Suite 2006? If so, how will they differ? I’ve always had a hard time distinguishing between the different versions…

[Continue reading An Interview With AnnMarie Thomas]