Quark Inc. announced a new enterprise-class editorial solution for organizations such as magazine publishers that produce design-driven publications.
Based on the Quark Digital Media System (QuarkDMS) platform, the QuarkDMS editorial solution comprises several modules and integration toolkits designed to offer publishers a system for storing, searching, repurposing and publishing content from a centralized information source that works with existing publishing infrastructures.
The QuarkDMS editorial solution’s QuarkDMS Workflow Engine allows publishers to define and control how work flows from one user to another. It offers workflow modeling through graphical template design, template storage and installation, routing, notification, monitoring, process control and task automation, says Quark. Manual, semi-automated and fully automated workflows can be used in any combination.
QuarkDMS, not surprisingly, integrates with QuarkXPress and QuarkCopyDesk Special Edition, a copy-fitting tool built to offer up typographic consistency with QuarkXPress. It can also connect to software such as Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Word.
QuarkDMS editorial solution also includes two optional software modules. QuarkDMS Storage Agent offers central content management and local storage. QuarkDMS HSM Archive is a server-side QuarkXTensions software that lets QuarkDMS administrators manage the movement of QuarkDMS assets to and from locations managed by Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) software.
Additionally, Quark is releasing new client software for QuarkDMS that’s designed specifically for editorial and advertising production staff. The QuarkDMS Editorial Client is built to assist editorial staff to coordinate and optimize content creation and production cycles. QuarkDMS Editorial Client also automates XML generation, allowing content to be reused while accessing QuarkDMS through layout, graphics and word processing applications.
The QuarkDMS Ad Production Client allows makeup staff to enter, modify and manage print and online ads in a centralized system. The new QuarkDMS Contracts Administrator lets organizations create, manage and enforce contractual rights on media.
QuarkDMS Web Site Manager adds functionality to QuarkDMS to support typical Web workflows. It provides a media repository for all stages of Web workflow, from content creation to testing and the final publication of content. QuarkDMS Web Site Manager can import all of the content and files of an existing Web site into QuarkDMS, while retaining all file relationships, asset metadata, and site structure, Quark says. The files are stored, versioned and maintained within QuarkDMS, making it easy to find and repurpose content from existing files.
The Quark products run on the traditional Mac operating system (7.6 through 9.x), but haven’t been Carbonized for Mac OS X. Customers in North America who are interested in QuarkDMS can e-mail Quark, as can European customers.