OK, here comes the dummy question. Do the fully featured scanning programs like Silverfast or Vuescan add anything to the actual scanning process? Do they alter the actual data captured by the scanner? Are all the adjustments they make actually affecting what the scanner does, or are they software adjustments made to the captured image after the scan is completed? In other words, does it make sense to invest in one of these programs (very expensive, at least for Silverfast, complex and tedious to master) to improve the quality of the capture of one's scans, or can the same thing be accomplished by using the scanner manufacturer's software and making your adjustments to the scan in Photoshop, since the actual data produced by the scanner is not altered by the software driving it? It seems to me that the latter is the case, with the only exception that I have found convincing being the ability of Vuescan to produce a DNG file. Or am I completely missing the boat (this wouldn't be the first time I've done that)?
Sage advice, wisdom, and derision all appreciated.
LJS