Imaging Experts

Why Does Helping My Daughter Take an Imaging Expert?

My daughter, an aspiring journalist currently interning for New York Magazine, called us in a panic. She needed to resubmit her resume for next summer, and her clippings were needed. But we were in Boston and she was in New York – and she needed it right away.

What’s a father to do? I had been hoping to go for a run before work that morning – it was surprisingly warm – but this had precedence. My wife got out the clippings (I had kind of hoped everything was available online) and I could see it wasn’t going to be easy.

The clippings were pasted two sided on cardboard and they had color elements. They were also larger than 8.5x11. And I knew that they couldn’t just be legible, they had to look pretty good, but they had to be sized appropriately for email.

I took a first stab with my standard scanning software on my Epson flatbed scanner. File size for one page – 22 MB! That wasn’t going to do it. I decided to try a PNG conversion and realized why it had never really gotten popular – the text didn’t look good. Finally I resorted to the tried and true JPEG. First file size was only 200 KB but it didn’t look good. So I went back and forth on JPEG compression values until each page was readable and looked pretty good – around 1 MB each. Ok, those I could email. Success! And only about 30 minutes – fortunately because I was familiar with the trade-offs.

So what did I learn? Well, most people wouldn’t have checked the initial image size and would only find out it was too big when the email bounced. Others would have gone for a smaller file size and learned too late it printed poorly. So success requires knowledge, speed and adaptability. Sort of Snowbound’s motto…

And if you think this isn’t applicable to business, I disagree. The intricacies of handling the multitude of imaging requirements out there in an efficient manner is not trivial and it is quite hard if you don’t understand the issues. It is not uncommon for customers to take a multipage mixed color/black and white document, run it through the scanner and only realize after a while that their repository is getting full way too quickly and processing these documents is taking minutes instead of seconds. Persondays might be wasted before it’s realized that mixed color documents can very quickly put your process in jeopardy if you don’t distinguish between them and black and white documents.

So, as above – success requires knowledge, speed and adaptability.

Customized Tools That Gain You a Competitive Advantage!

Though many of our customers buy our standard, off-the-shelf RasterMaster tools or FlexSnap universal viewing solutions, a surprising number have special requests. A great motivation for these requests is to embed capabilities within their product that their competitors can’t offer.

Requests come in for configurable viewers that can be easily modified to the needs of a particular client (for example - data entry versus administrator) without requiring the purchase and maintenance of two different applications. Other queries come in for special enhancements that allow our viewers to duplicate an existing viewer in look and feel. This allows an easy replacement of legacy products without requiring re-training the “troops.” Other features, like our FlexSnap virtual document support, came about because a customer wanted to dramatically increase the speed of their insurance claim form processing.

Some of our recent PDF vector display and annotation improvements came about because a customer wanted to reduce the time it took to review blueprints when using their current the paper method. By duplicating the look and feel of their approval and review stamps but enabled online, they could get rid of paper and pencil and all the issues inherent in handling physical media. Dramatic improvements in throughput resulted.

For customers who have even more extreme demands of operating systems or hardware platforms, we have created down-sized or ported versions of our RasterMaster libraries that satisfy their specific market or customers. Sometimes download size is an issue or perhaps it’s a particular platform – for example an AMD 64 bit processor – that helps that customer compete. Our products are designed to be portable and maintainable while maintaining their performance benefits, even when customized. 

We win when you win! Give us a call.

Why Convert Adobe Acrobat PDF to JPEG? Isn’t PDF better?

If PDF is such a portable format, why do many of our customers want to be able to convert PDF to JEPG?

Well, one great reason is that it makes your document much easier to view over the web. Your browser automatically views JPEG images, whereas Adobe acrobat has to be installed.

When offering documents to a large public user base, companies do not want to get involved with supporting many different operating systems and applications. JPEG has been supported within browsers for at least 10 years so it is a very safe bet, unlike any other.

Additionally, viewing JPEG images within a browser doesn’t require the start of a plug-in such as Adobe Acrobat embedded within a browser – saving valuable time for users. As all of us have experienced, even on a fast system, starting up Adobe takes a while, whereas viewing a JPEG is effectively instantaneous.

Imagine the time savings that a company, such as a mortgage or insurance company, would realize in its customer service department if files could be viewed more rapidly. (There are other options as well, such as using a commercial web viewer to view all of your documents through a standard web browser, eliminating the need for the creator application – and in the same environment you can retrieve, view and annotate documents and images).

Also, if you have a multipage PDF file such as an account statement or prospectus, even with Adobe installed, the entire file has to be downloaded before the first page can be viewed. For speed and efficiency, it is often better to split up multi-page PDF documents to single page JPEGs and stream them one at a time to the browser. Your users see their pages much more quickly this way.

The downside of JPEG is that the algorithm was meant to compress continuous tone images such as photos, not documents. Sometimes JPEG stored documents may exhibit artifacts or fuzziness around the text. Depending upon the document, other compression methods may do better than JPEG. As always, consult your imaging experts (Snowbound) for the optimum image conversion or document viewing solution to your requirements.

For additional information about the JPEG image format you can visit http://www.jpeg.org/.

Can You Ignore Microsoft’s Office 2007 and its XML content within your CMS?

Microsoft’s office 2007, besides having a different look and feel, has also taken a major step toward international document conformance by storing document contents in XML format (within a ZIP file). This is an improvement in many ways but if you thought things were complicated before, they have now doubled.

XML, as a text based format, is much easier to open and examine. Having it stored within a ZIP is now old hat (Java programs are done this way all the time) and it saves space.

But processing these files is now harder. Not only do these files have to be split apart, any software available before that could handle them now needs to be updated. You will need, in general, new software to handle the files. And it will be hard to issue edicts against the generation or dissemination of these files because they will often be created and transmitted without the user’s knowledge. How can that be?

Microsoft, in order to promote the adoption of this new standard, has provided free plug-ins into old versions of MS Office that automatically and pretty much invisibly handle these new file formats. A simple, free download from within Office will accomplish that. And all new versions of MS Office generate these new files by default. The only obvious difference with these files is that the extension has the letter x as in .docx. And if you receive and edit one of these files, guess what extension it will have when you’re done? It’s a bit like a virus.

OK, simple fix. Have everyone go to the Microsoft website and update your MS Office components. But if you’re an organization with say 500 users of MS Office, are you ready or willing to upgrade them all, even if it’s free. Don’t you think there might be a few problems in that process?

So these files are coming, and it’s very hard to stop them. Right now, in dribs and drabs, but soon major torrents. Can you ignore them? Not if your business depends upon MS Office documents.

What’s the answer? Get informed. Keep informed. Talk to your suppliers. Monitor how you’re impacted. Stay tuned. Maybe a universal viewer will be the answer for you?

100, 200, 300 document formats – how many are enough?

If you're an OEM selling to a wide audience or servicing the needs of a large organization, you want to provide the broadest possible document support. When you see a claim for 300 or more image and document formats – your eyes must light up. You don’t have to think or survey your customers or the industry – this package must have it all!
… Think again.

What if you have a narrowly defined audience that you need to provide document support? That 300+ format package will work for you too, right?
… Think again.

Unfortunately there is no product substitute that nullifies the need for you to understand what your customers and you need.

All the vendors in the imaging tool business play the numbers game, but it doesn’t really help you make a rational decision. Numbers don’t equate with quality, they don’t equate with support, they don’t equate with platform choices, they don’t equate with performance and they don’t equate with providing what you need.

When a vendor mentions hundreds of formats, you might ask how many are still in use. If Wordstar and other obsolete word processor formats make up that list, does that help you? A better question to ask is whether the formats my customers or my organization use are supported? Are AFP or MO:DCA documents (popular within the IBM ECM world) included? How about Adobe Acrobat files or PCL files? In truth, because of the consolidation of the software industry, there are only 10-20 popular document and CAD formats.

And not only do you need to know if the right formats are supported, you need to know whether they perform. Is the rendering fast enough for you? Speed differences of 2x-5x are commonplace. Is it robust – does it support variants of the specification that commonly exist for formats like TIFF or PDF?

And lastly, you have to make trade-offs. Sometimes number of formats for speed, sometimes numbers for platform support. If you need it for Java or .NET or Unix, your choices narrow down. And if you need it for several platforms …you can only get it from Snowbound. :-)

Simon

Viewing Your ECM Documents on your iPhone using AJAX – what do I have to do?

Any article mentioning the iPhone is guaranteed to pique interest …but this isn’t a cheap trick, there is substance here as well.  Many of our customers find they need to deliver documents or content via several different methods to a variety of users – from power users and administrators to engineers and lawyers to retail customers.

Due to security concerns and potential support requirements, the rule of thumb nowadays when delivering content is thin client (usually a browser) for retail users and fatter client for internal or power users.  For example, you can’t presume or expect retail customers to download ActiveX controls or Java applets, even if they provide greater functionality.  The results are too variable and customer support can be demanding.  So an HTML thin client is a reasonable solution if it offers enough functionality.  Here is where AJAX comes in.  This increasingly popular browser technology allows you to create, among other things, HTML pages with dynamically updated image areas.  A good example is Google Maps.  Not a huge amount of functionality but enough for many document and drawing viewing purposes.  Response is quick because only the image area is updated; the rest of the page remains unchanged until you need to make it change.

And AJAX doesn’t require anything but Javascript which is standard in an HTML rendering engine like a browser.

So where does the iPhone come in?  Well, the iPhone runs the Safari web browser.  This web browser is fully functional, so it supports AJAX pages.  So if you want to view your bank statement or insurance claim without a computer, fire up your iPhone and start working!

Of course, a lot is happening behind the scenes.  The server based application, which can be a .NET server component or a Java servlet or some other technology, is opening up the documents,  rendering pages and sending down the appropriate images and HTML content down to the client.  Because most operations (rotate, zoom) on the client require a re-download of the image, it is critical that the server application be fast and powerful and that the data connection be fast.

And what if you’re a more traditional or a power user, and you need to have more functions?  Well, if properly designed, you can use a .NET client or a Java applet or some other “fat” client to communicate with the same server component to access your documents and work with them.  In those scenarios, you can perform document manipulation right on the client so rotation, zooming and even cropping can be done without re-downloading.  In this ideal situation, with the correct architecture one system can satisfy multiple platform technologies and multiple levels of users – how nice is that?

Save Your Vista Upgrade Allowance and Buy an iPhone

IPHONE, IPHONE, IPHONE.

Think you've already heard enough of the iPhone? Not yet, its just starting. 

Being in imaging and graphics for 25 years, I can't remember the last time I was this blown away (except maybe in college but that's another story) with a new gadget or device. Just like other iPhone reviewers, my impression of the imaging and graphics on the iPhone are that they are awesome; easy to use and fun. No, I'm not one of these guys with a picture of myself standing in front of the Apple building, and I've never owned a Mac. No, I did not wait in line on Friday, June 29, here in Boston or anywhere else.

I never really used many of the features on my old phone. This morning my 11 year old was up before me and changed the first screen on my iPhone to be a picture of himself. I was able to use almost all of the applications without a manual in about 40 minutes.

Some of my favorite iPhone features:

1. Sort and select songs by flipping through pictures of the album covers of the artists.
2. Camera and photos rotate when the iPhone is rotated.
3. Much larger screen since there is no keyboard - just a touch screen.
4. Easy to use.
5. Zoom by double tapping the screen or moving your fingers apart.
6. Most applications can rotate by turning the iPhone sideways.

Did I mention how easy it was to use?

I also know the criticisms of the iPhone. First off the price: $500 for the 4 Gig model and $600 for the 8 gig model, sounds like a lot, but isn't the price of Vista Ultimate $600? Of course, with Vista you get the translucent windows and Microsoft is still promising more application extras with Vista Ultimate, even though you were shipped only three. The iPhone can open .pdf and Office files too. And since it has a full web browser, Safari, you could go to Google office.

iPhone vs Vista is an interesting concept. First off, people waited in line to buy the iPhone while many people got Vista usually because they had no choice. Few people upgraded existing PC's, especially with the confusion related to upgrade choices, compatability and functionality; and even then, it was a difficult process.  Vista took more than five years to come out, and it was not backward compatible with existing device drivers or many applications. iPhone is completely backward compatible with the iPod and will install all existing songs from iTunes. It also will fit with current iPod docking stations and other accessories.

The only downside to the iPhone in Boston is that the phone service is AT&T (which in Boston is probably the worst coverage). There is a $60 per month plan and a $100 per month plan and both have unlimited data. The more expensive plan just gives you more phone time. But who cares? I really don't use a cell phone much.

The bottom line is, at this time, less than a week after the introduction, Apple may have already sold 1 million units.

Don't knock this thing until you've tried it out for yourself. Try it out and you'll want one.

-Jim

Additional iPhone and Vista Reviews & Opinions

• What the iPhone doesn't do, why not, and why I still want one...
• Terry White's iPhone Review
• Windows Vista: I’m Breaking up with You

Consolidation of ECM Vendors – Is this Good or Bad for You?

Over the past couple of years, the Enterprise Content Management industry has been radically transformed by rapid consolidation. IBM* has purchased Filenet, EMC* has purchased Documentum and others, Open Text* has purchased Hummingbird and Oracle* has purchased Stellent. In fact, these companies have made many more acquisitions as well, heading in the direction of providing you all the services and technology you need to store, secure, retrieve and manipulate your electronic document content.

There is no mistaking that ECM has made it to industry’s mainstream. The only question is how quickly will all your content become electronic. The significant advantages are now understood by many –

• Requires your organization to create well documented processes that are controlled via the ECM system, allowing you to ensure compliance and audit ability

• Gives you the ability to get away from fragile and ephemeral paper documents for safety and convenience

• Provides easier and far faster methods of handling your work documents through central storage and retrieval

• Allows you to disperse your workforce, taking advantage of geographic cost differences to improve your bottom line and get disaster redundancy, without compromising your ability to get the work done.

So does this consolidation of vendors help you? Well, the famous one cheek to kiss, one throat to choke comes to mind. One vendor of substantial size that is responsible for the entire document stream is definitely a benefit to you. Though individual smaller vendors can provide expert solutions for their niche, it’s very difficult to tie many disparate systems together. It’s hard enough even when all the components are under the same roof. If you’re betting your company on this kind of solution, you want to deal with a company of comparable scale.

As important and beneficial it is for you to have one vendor responsible for your entire document processing workflow, there is a downside. When you could mix and match components, you could “customize” a solution. Now you may have to hope your new, very large “partner of choice” isn’t so big and preoccupied that they can’t handle your special needs.

That’s why a very special niche remains for expert system integrators and companies like ours who know the systems you’re buying and are experienced in making them work for companies like yours. Every Fortune 2000 customer of ours depends on such integrators who can work with them, with the ECM vendor and with us.

So what do we bring to the table? As much as we would prefer every one of our customer acquisitions was an easy one, our reputation rests on the opposite. So many of our loyal customers have been won over by the success we’ve had in solving their problems. And what were these problems?

The issues that most commonly relate to our core competency are as follows:

• You need to view a document format that isn’t supported by the ECM system

• You work with documents that are very large and slow to retrieve from the repository

• You want to tailor the look and feel of this new system to emulate the old one so you don’t have to retrain your entire staff

Our value-add in these situations is our unique expertise in dealing with multiple document types and understanding how to most efficiently work with them. We can provide one common interface to all the users who need to work with documents. Rather than having to open up multiple applications when dealing with disparate documents (from faxes to scanned letters to PDF documents to color photos), our universal viewer approach streamlines the ability to work with all these “papers”. We have saved untold millions of dollars for our customers by tailoring their ECM systems in this way.

Be prepared – verify that all your important document handling needs will be met – and ask for proof. If they tell you it can’t be done, or you have questions, call us.

Call 617 607-2010 or [email protected]

 

* - All companies listed are customers of Snowbound.

.NET, Web Services, or Java – Why Not have it all?

It wasn’t that long ago that we all accessed our data through applications that worked strictly on the client or were part of a client/server solution. With enterprise data access as a given today, it seems that all new development is designed to allow users to access their documents and data via the Web. 

Several concerns determine the corporate philosophy for what technology will be used to create any new ECM system. Certainly platforms that are well supported and likely to survive well into the future are a prerequisite. Manufacturer/vendor independence is also important. And thirdly, are products and/or developers available to allow you to create or integrate these systems.

As an established provider to the ECM market, we cringe when we talk to clients who are bleeding edge hungry – eager to try the newest technologies or the youngest vendors. It isn’t folklore that more than 50% of all enterprise software systems fail to ever operate successfully.

We’ve learned over the years that it’s more than technology that makes the difference in success. Yes, product and features are important. But reliability, pedigree, and robustness between different platforms and application software are critical to easy deployment. And the ability to find knowledgeable programmers and engineers or professional services groups is also key –because as you should all know, the glue to all implementations is the people.

So how does this all relate to the headline? How can you have it all? 

Snowbound’s philosophy is to serve the market professionally and comprehensively. We don’t preach about programming preferences or the right platform for your application. We know our customers have strong preferences based on knowledge of their markets. So we let you do it your way. 

If you have standardized on Java tools and solutions, we have them for you - from clients that allow you to retrieve, view, annotate and manipulate your documents and images to conversion programs to development tools. 

And if you’re more excited by .NET and Web Services, we have a family of products for viewing, conversion and development as well. Do you want to mix and match – we even let you do that. Java applets with .NET server components or .NET clients with Java servlets, we have it all. And because we build it on a code base that we have nurtured over many years, it works with few surprises. Ask us about our many satisfied customers.

-Simon

MSJVM... Going Going Gone

Many of you are probably already aware that Microsoft's JVM will soon be obsolete. In fact, it even has an expiration date, December 31 2007. Happy New Year...out with the old and in with the better. This is not to say that Java applications such as Snowbound's FlexSnap family of viewers and imaging technology will just cease to function. It does however mean that the MSJVM will no longer be supported. Users should not only be aware of this but take the proper steps to stay informed about this obsolete software and move away from the MSJVM before December 31, 2007. This includes identifying both internal and licensed applications that depend on the MSJVM. Businesses that plan their transition ahead of time will be at an advantage and have adequate time to identify their MSJVM dependencies and applications, and then establish a migration plan to test and deploy other solutions.

From the Microsoft Website: "The MSJVM is obsolete code that is no longer enhanced or developed. Microsoft recommends that consumers who are using MSJVM-dependent programs consult their software vendors' Web sites for any information on action they might need to take in the future. For instance, users might be advised to update or replace their current versions before December 31, 2007."

Sun Microsystems, providers of the popular Sun JVM, have an existing agreement with Microsoft enabling them to use Sun's source code and compatibility test suites, thus allowing Microsoft to extend support for the MSJVM until the end of this year. Does this mean that Sun's JVM is the logical replacement for the MSJVM? It seems to be the most popular, and from what most users will say, the most reliable and compatible. But if you want to play it safe you are best off contacting your Java solutions provider and seeing what they recommend. It never hurts to be in touch with your partners and vendors during a transition like this.

- Ed