digiKam from KDE3 branch : RAW image loader : backport 8 bits color depth auto-gamma and auto-white balance adjustements from dcraw with 16 bits color depth.

These auto adjustments are performed only if Color Management is not used with image editor.

The color rendering in 16 bits is exactly the same than in 8 bits.

This is want mean than you can process speedly your RAW exactly as JPEG. Just set your usual settings in RAW dedoding and open your RAW pictures as well in editor.

This is the same way used by LightZone pro software to process RAW file without color management !

This way simplify the task in Raw workflow... and will be suitable in 90% of case. Color Management must be used in others cases...