Message-Id: <mailto:199410121711.MAA06721@library.wustl.edu> Date: Wed, 12 Oct 1994 16:05:39 GMT From: Chris Orr <mailto:ChrisO@BC.AW.COM> Subject: Re: Cumulus PowerPro To: Multiple recipients of list IMAGELIB <mailto:IMAGELIB@ARIZVM1.BITNET>
In article <mailto:Pine.SUN.3.90.941006080651.18049B-100000@chip.ucdavis.edu>, Yturralde <mailto:vmyturralde@UCDAVIS.EDU> wrote:> We are researching software for an image database of photographs (prints
> and negs, including glass negs) and wonder if anyone has any experience
> using this software. Any input valuable. Thanks.
>
> Victoria
We are also looking at Cumulus, just had a demo here that was impressive, esp. if we decide to go the Mac server route. It uses some nifty Mac features like drag and drop for transfer of images either into the database or out of it (say to a Quark page for layout). You can drag single images or whole folders into the database and have group cataloging attributes applied to incoming records. Not many user-identified fields, BUT the notes and keywords fields are fully indexed and searches looked fast (we didn't try a very big sample database, but we did experiment across our network).
Seems they've thought out a fair number of issues, including Mac-scripting capabilities that allow you to customize what they may not have thought of (like support for formats other than GIF, TIFF, JPEG, PICT; or transfer of data from other databases like Filemaker). System doesn't compress source photos automatically (which is an advantage for us, but may not be for you), but will accept compressed (jpeg) files.
Nice feature for collections of complex art or photos: the low-res thumbnails can be enlarged for preview browsing without dragging a high-res image across the network.
Check out the review in MacWeek 9/5/94; and a case study (in a publishing setting, so may not be too relevant to your situation) in Publish February 1994.
I'm also interested in any tales of Cumulus in action. . .
--Chris Orr Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Redwood City, California mailto:chriso@bc.aw.com