New Contenders in the Editorial Systems Market - Impressed
New Contenders in the Editorial Systems Market - Impressed
New Contenders in the Editorial Systems Market - Impressed
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<strong>Editorial</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
Browser client for<br />
adm<strong>in</strong>istration.<br />
Modulo’s new<br />
Concerto system is<br />
built around an SQL<br />
database and uses a<br />
browser client called<br />
Harmony to handle<br />
adm<strong>in</strong>istrative<br />
functions.<br />
adm<strong>in</strong>istrative functions and provides remote editorial<br />
access to <strong>the</strong> content database. Through it, adm<strong>in</strong>istrators<br />
can configure <strong>the</strong> system, view a list of all loggedon<br />
users and <strong>the</strong> applications <strong>the</strong>y are runn<strong>in</strong>g, search<br />
<strong>the</strong> log of all XML commands that have been executed,<br />
monitor <strong>the</strong> status of pages, handle archiv<strong>in</strong>g, and set<br />
up and manage groups and users with access privileges<br />
and permissions. (Permissions can be based ei<strong>the</strong>r on<br />
system functions or on content, with overrides available<br />
for <strong>in</strong>dividuals with<strong>in</strong> a group.)<br />
Harmony also enables reporters and editors to<br />
query <strong>the</strong> database, preview layouts, check stories out<br />
for edit<strong>in</strong>g, and create and submit stories. To create a<br />
story, a reporter can use Harmony’s rudimentary text<br />
editor, which produces a flat text file without hyphenation<br />
and justification (with <strong>the</strong> option of embedd<strong>in</strong>g<br />
XML tags), or write <strong>the</strong> story us<strong>in</strong>g Word (or CopyDesk<br />
or InCopy) and submit it as a Harmony attachment.<br />
If a story has already been assigned to a layout, it<br />
cannot be edited to fit <strong>the</strong> layout us<strong>in</strong>g Harmony itself<br />
unless <strong>the</strong> user has CopyDesk or InCopy runn<strong>in</strong>g locally<br />
for this purpose and checks articles out remotely.<br />
However, Modulo is work<strong>in</strong>g on two options to enable<br />
writ<strong>in</strong>g to fit. One is an <strong>in</strong>terface between Word and<br />
both Xpress and InDesign, which would enable text to<br />
be sent to an H&J server and returned to Word with<br />
<strong>the</strong> results of H&J displayed <strong>in</strong> Word. This approach<br />
depends on <strong>the</strong> availability of a server version of <strong>the</strong><br />
layout program, which is already possible with Xpress<br />
us<strong>in</strong>g Quark’s Dynamic Document Server and is<br />
expected to be offered <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> future by Adobe for InDesign.<br />
The o<strong>the</strong>r copyfitt<strong>in</strong>g option is <strong>the</strong> forthcom<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Quasar browser for InDesign (see below). Modulo said<br />
it is also work<strong>in</strong>g on an agreement with AdLizard to<br />
enable remote composition us<strong>in</strong>g InDesign.<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r functions of Harmony are to review highresolution<br />
images (a key requirement of one of Concerto’s<br />
early users) and to view f<strong>in</strong>ished pages <strong>in</strong> PDF.<br />
Quasar browser. To be able to offer a remote client with<br />
<strong>in</strong>teractive composition capabilities, Modulo is look<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to Quasar, which is already supply<strong>in</strong>g such technology.<br />
Serv<strong>in</strong>g much like <strong>the</strong> “self-service” ad-build<strong>in</strong>g stations<br />
now com<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>stream advertis<strong>in</strong>g market,<br />
it enables a client to access a remote server for<br />
design<strong>in</strong>g and compos<strong>in</strong>g jobs. Thus, it will handle not<br />
only <strong>in</strong>teractive H&J for reporters and editors, but also<br />
remote editorial page layout and <strong>the</strong> possibility of unattended<br />
ad build<strong>in</strong>g by advertisers.<br />
We haven’t seen <strong>the</strong> Quasar remote functionality<br />
yet, but we’ve been told that it has been <strong>in</strong>stalled at a<br />
customer site for eventual use <strong>in</strong> design<strong>in</strong>g and produc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
corporate magaz<strong>in</strong>es. (See “Quasar,” below.)<br />
Sonata standalone client. Modulo offers ano<strong>the</strong>r client,<br />
called Sonata, that provides query<strong>in</strong>g and content<br />
management functions for files created by third-party<br />
applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.<br />
It recognizes files based on <strong>the</strong>ir file types, checks <strong>the</strong>m<br />
out and opens <strong>the</strong>m <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir native applications. After<br />
edit<strong>in</strong>g, files are checked back <strong>in</strong>, system files are<br />
updated, previews generated, etc.<br />
Concerto pric<strong>in</strong>g and status. Concerto pric<strong>in</strong>g is based on<br />
a server license fee rang<strong>in</strong>g from $27,000 to $40,000<br />
and a per-seat charge of $1,250 to $2,750 for a fullfunction<br />
client (less for a Harmony browser client). Five<br />
systems have been <strong>in</strong>stalled at sites that currently use<br />
QPS. The first, a major magaz<strong>in</strong>e, has <strong>in</strong>stalled a 16seat<br />
configuration us<strong>in</strong>g CopyDesk and Xpress. Two<br />
medium-circulation newspapers each <strong>in</strong>stalled about<br />
100-seat systems. The o<strong>the</strong>r two sites are a Canadian<br />
f<strong>in</strong>ancial services bus<strong>in</strong>ess and a small publisher of<br />
magaz<strong>in</strong>es and catalogs. All have been <strong>in</strong>stalled, but<br />
none are <strong>in</strong> full production, so it was too early to solicit<br />
feedback on system performance. We contacted magaz<strong>in</strong>e<br />
publisher TL Enterprises and <strong>the</strong> Arizona Star<br />
newspaper, and both seemed optimistic about <strong>the</strong><br />
prospects and offered to provide us with comments<br />
after <strong>the</strong>ir systems have been put <strong>in</strong>to full production.<br />
Initial releases of Concerto support InCopy, InDesign,<br />
CopyDesk and Xpress, although some functions<br />
(e.g story jumps and built-<strong>in</strong> Xpress-to-XML conversions)<br />
won’t be supported until <strong>the</strong> second release.<br />
Release 1.5 will add features for cross-media publish<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and font management, plus support for Adobe CS<br />
2 and Quark DDS. Release 2.0 will <strong>in</strong>clude edition<br />
management and complete <strong>in</strong>tegration with Modulo’s<br />
advertis<strong>in</strong>g system, called Symphony. No dates have<br />
been announced for those versions.<br />
Quasar. The deal with Quasar gives Modulo nonexclusive<br />
worldwide rights (exclusive <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Americas) to<br />
market <strong>the</strong> Quasar GetReady system developed <strong>in</strong><br />
Spa<strong>in</strong> and now <strong>in</strong> use at one customer site <strong>in</strong> France<br />
and ano<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong> Spa<strong>in</strong>. Modulo plans to use <strong>the</strong> Quasar<br />
technology to <strong>in</strong>tegrate parts <strong>in</strong>to Concerto, as noted<br />
8 October 6, 2004 • The Seybold Report • Analyz<strong>in</strong>g Publish<strong>in</strong>g Technologies