Convert PBM to VIPS

The PBM (Portable Bitmap) file extension, part of the Netpbm project, originated in the late 1980s to facilitate efficient and portable graphics file interchange. Primarily, PBM files are used to store monochrome bitmaps in a simple ASCII text format, ensuring easy compatibility across different systems and platforms. This format supports only black-and-white imagery, making it particularly useful in scenarios where simplicity and minimalism are prioritized, such as in Unix environments for bitmap manipulation and transfer. Its historical significance lies in promoting a standardized approach to bitmap graphics in early computer technology.

The VIPS (Virtual Image Processing System) file format, developed by the libvips library, is designed for high-performance image processing with low memory usage. It supports arbitrary metadata and is optimized for command-line operations. Although not widely supported by other programs, it serves as an efficient intermediate format for tasks like image inversion and gamma correction. The format includes a 64-byte header with basic fields such as image width and a set of band-interleaved scanlines for the image data.