In the April 1999 issue of Phytopathology News, Larry Stowell argues that the use of photographs and digital images as the sole source of information for a plant health diagnosis is poor practice. He then lists many negative consequences of incorrect diagnoses and cites shrinking budgets as the reason that university extension programs have adopted this technology. Digital images are new and powerful tools in disease diagnosis. Their use is not the result of shrinking budgets but rather of increased funding to explore methods that improve the speed and accuracy of current methods. Posted 6 June 2000.