Although Mac OS X Server is still not available, Apple is showing a near final version their new operating system here at Seybold. A number of vendors are also showing applications that will run on OS X Server when it is available.
Canto ( https://www.canto.com ) is demonstrating Cumulus, a media asset management application. The software runs on a server and allows users on the network to catalog images, video clips and document. Files remain on the local drives, but all users on the network can search the full database. Canto has versions of their software for a variety of other server operating systems, including Windows NT 4.0, Solaris 2.5, and IRIX 5.3.
Xinet ( https://www.xinet.com ) is showing both FullPress and WebNative. FullPress is an Open Prepress Interface (OPI) application. OPI software creates a low-resolution version of large images on the server. Users work with the smaller version to minimize network traffic. WebNative works with the OPI application to publish images via the Web. Customers outside the office can download a low-resolution version of a file and manipulate it.
Helios ( https://www.helios.com ) now offers PDF Handshake for OS X Server. PDF Handshake works with Helios’ EtherShare–another OPI application. PDF Handshake can open PDF images as standard EPS documents for use by QuarkXPress or PageMaker. It also provides tools for color separation of a PDF image.
While most of the vendors showing OS X products have ported their existing UNIX software to Apple’s UNIX, Avatar Works Limited ( https://www.avatarworks.com ) is showing project management software written exclusively for OS X. The software provides version management and access control to parts of the projects stored on an OS X server. The client software only runs on Windows or OS X. A Macintosh version should be available in July.