Linear Mode in DPP

Do you use linear mode in DPP ? if yes :

1. why do you use it ?
1. when do you use it ?
3. how do you use it ? in particular how do you manage the curve ?

Any tips would be welcome. Thanks.

Yves -
I have on occasion used it to recover highlights by blending a linear conversion with a gamma corrected exposure, using only the highlights from the linear version. BreezeBrowser does this also, but I preferred to control the blend myself.

It is also helpful when using a raw converter to prepare images for HDR merge. If the raws need some sort of noise correction, white balance adjustment or other tweaking prior to merging, a linear response curve for the converted TIFF may be useful for the images to be merged.

I have also used a linear response curve for single raw image edits, where I do not want the arbitrarily applied "S" contrast curve, or gamma correction burned into the image data when I convert it to TIFF - i.e., I will control the luminance levels and contrast at a later stage in the PP.

Kirk