The other day I read a press release of a commercial Digital Asset Management vendor, who shall be not named, that claims “powerful new features” and innovation in his latest release.
While reading trough the “new features”, I could not help myself to wonder how customers could have put up with their application if only now, in its 5th (!!!) version and after 3 years (!!!) the following feature(s) have been implemented;
Reading and editing of XMP/EXIF/IPTC metdata
You got to be kidding me, right? I mean this is the “lifeblood” of images and vendors like Getty Images, Corbis, etc. have been using Metadata since years to create a digital repository. Adobe has been pushing XMP for a long time and it is the “de-facto” standard in metadata.
As you might know, Razuna is a incarnation of a commercial digital asset management which has been featuring XMP/EXIF/IPTC metadata since day 1. Needles to say, that Razuna has this built in already. I wonder how customers of this so called “Enterprise” system have handled images beyond their system? Metadata is not only about finding and tagging images, it is about a complete digital workflow which integrates tighly with their other tools like Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Quark, etc.
Wildcard search and search for within documents
If some could have passed on the missing metadata editing from above, I simply could not believe to read that now in its 5th incarnation, the system “features” a wildcard search and is able to search text within PDF, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel files.
Again me wonders, how could their customers find anything in their system? I simply guess, that customers had to use a folder level structure or some sort of date feature. Truly amazing that the company, who shall not be named, had any success with their offering. They must have some great marketing people.
Dear customer…
The time that you had to put up with systems that do not hold up to their promises is now over. Sure, for many years you had no choice in the digital asset management market. Vendors were running after your money and have stuffed their products with needles features that you don’t need and have not been asking for, instead of “features” that really make sense (like metadata editing and a professional search).
Luckily, today you have the choice! SixSigns released Razuna – a professional open source Digital Asset Management solution – to the market some weeks ago. Within a week Razuna will be release a new version which features a embedded database and some more enhancements.
True to the nature of an open source system, you as a customer, has the control over your digital asset management system. Backed by a professional company that has years of experience in the digital asset management market, you can rest assured to receive and work with a system that is both effective and efficient.
We don’t promise you that you won’t find bugs or that we have every feature (a future version will sure have it), but we can promise you that we work hard and are geared toward bringing you the best solution for your digital asset management.
(During the creation of this blog post, no marketing and sales people have been harmed and had any say)
