Help: Can Bridge be purchased as a stand-alone app and if so how does it rate?

[niic]

Hi,

I am trying to find information on Adobe Bridge's license. I am wondering if you can purchase this as a stand-alone for use as a DAM. Many of our non-creative departments require access to our assets so need a central management console everyone can login with and search meta fields.

We have been seriously looking at: http://www.assetbank.co.uk/demos/ as it gives so much functionality.

However I’d like to know if Bridge is capable from anyone running it. Any help on people using it as an Digital Asset Manager (accross multiple non creative departments) I'd like to hear what your suggestions are compared to other DAM products out there.

Much appreciated.

Kind regards,
Nick.

[johnbeardy]

It comes with Photoshop and isn't sold standalone.

If you are looking at a multi-user application, maybe you should look at Extensis Portfolio? it has extensive permissions structures and is designed for network and multiuser use.

John

[niic]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply.

Have you used Extensis or any other DAM app in any capacity? I ahve been reviewing a few but would like to know more providers which I can get end user feedback on.

I am looking at Extensis now, thank you for that suggestion.

thanks,
Nick.

[johnbeardy]

Yes, I used Portfolio for a year or two before I moved over to iView (because it's better for a sole user), but I've flirted with plenty of a few DAM programs and used to implement moderate size multiuser finance systems.

The key reason for pointing you to Extensis is that it's well established (I had never heard of AssetBank) and it is going to be strongest for your multiuser needs. They also have a knowledgeable UK presence - get in touch with Mark Anderson who runs http://www.portfoliofaq.com.

John

[peterkrogh]

Nick,
DAM functionality depends so much on what you need to do, so we would need to know what you group and tasks look like.

If you're in the UK, and are looking at some kind of workgroup implementation, you might want to see if you can get John Beardsworth to do some consulting for you.  He understands the landscape very well, and can help you spend your time wisely as you investigate the options.

Peter

[MarkAnderson]

[John B kindly pointed me at this thread] Apropos Portfolio, it definitely offers multi-user support with searchability through either the Portfolio client application or a web interface (Portfolio NetPublish). The latter is read-only. Portfolio is positioned as a DAM tool and as such has no 'lite' image editing tools as some apps have. Whether this is good or bad varies with the user's preferences.  In short, Portfolio assumes you'll be using the likes of all/part of Adobe CS so doesn't try to compete with those more powerful tools. There's more over at PortfolioFAQ.com.

Part of Portfolio Server is an optional module called ProjectSync. This is the first significant use of Adobe's Version Cue CS3 plug-in technology. With ProjectSync, instead of using VC's own database, a VC project using ProjectSync harnesses Portfolio in the background. This allows you the richness of Portfolio's many fields for searching, from within CS3 apps like Bridge. In this scenario Bridge also reads thumbnails in from Portfolio rather than creating thumbs on the fly, increasing Bridge's performance.

As a buyer, do be wary of simple comparisons.  Most DAM products have some (often small but) significant differences making simple bullet-point comparisons less than helpful. You want to look for best fit you your workflow. As a Portfolio consultant [sic] I'm arguably not an impartial advisor, but I can say that Portfolio certainly is a happy choice for plenty of multi-seat users and is showing growth at present. The app is the oldest DAM program (its roots go back to 1994) around - though it's been re-written since then (!) and is still being developed. A look at Extensis' new Suitcase server tech gives a glimpse of where Portfolio's probably headed in tech roadmap terms. In buying into a multi-seat solution, the comparative cost (vs. single seat apps) does mean you want to check you're not the only user (often the case with CMSs) and that the app will be around for the time you're likely to be using it!
 
Note: Portfolio v8.5.1 is just released for both OSs and all app components. See http://www.portfoliofaq.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1491.

I hope this helps...

Mark Anderson. www.portfoliofaq.com / www.shoantel.com