ProVUE Development announces the release of Panorama Enterprise Server, the first totally RAM based general purpose database server for Mac OS X. The Enterprise Server product is designed to work in conjunction with ProVUE’s Panorama 5.5 database software (released in December 2007) on client machines, and can also be used for web database publishing (for use with standard web browsers). Unlike traditional client/server systems that sequester all of the data on a central server, the Panorama Enterprise system uses a “mesh” architecture to distribute RAM based copies of the shared data across the network. This mesh technology dramatically cuts delays associated with common database tasks by spreading the load across the network.
According to James Rea, President of ProVUE Development, “The Enterprise system works much like a formation of fighter jets teamed with an aerial tanker. Instead of hoarding all of the data on the central server, the Enterprise system distributes complete, redundant copies of the shared data across the network mesh. Operations that don’t involve other clients (searching, sorting, analysis, reports, etc.) are performed independently at lightning speed in each client’s local RAM. The server is only involved for coordinating data flow across the mesh, managing record locking and updating modified data on clients as necessary.”
Dozens of beta testers have been using the Enterprise system for up to two years. Chris Watts, Visual Effects Supervisor for the hit movie “300”, used Panorama Enterprise to manage the tens of thousands of visual effects in that movie: “We created over 30,000 quicktime clips during the course of the 300 production. Everything is on a tight deadline, and we can’t afford to drop the ball on even a single detail. Panorama Enterprise allowed us to coordinate the work across the entire team, saving thousands of hours during the post-production process.”
Beta tester Dr. Rickey L. Williams, President of Tanque Verde Pediatrics in Tuscon, AZ, appreciates the speed, reliablility and ease-of-use of the Enterprise system: “Our large office relies completely on Panorama and Panorama Enterprise server, all running on 24 Mac Minis. In the past year we’ve logged every one of our more than 19,000 patient visits in our electronic health record, and it works great. We also use it for prescriptions, scheduling, billing, immunization records, checking and credit card accounts. It never crashes or freezes and we’ve never lost any data.”
Transvideo Studios, Silicon Valley’s largest business television and corporate video production facility, has staff sharing Panorama databases in multiple locations on the SF Peninsula and globally for special projects. According to Raymond Clark, CEO/Producer, “We depend on Panorama Enterprise Server for thousands of transactions a day, by over 60 simultaneous users. It handles booking, scheduling, accounting, inventory, contacts, project management, web publishing, and much more… over a million total records in dozens of custom designed multi-user databases… all working securely, via global remote access, with the power and speed that keeps up with the pace of our mission critical broadcast environment.”
One unique feature of the system is that users can disconnect from the network and continue working even when completely offline and detached — for example when on an airplane or away from network connections. Database changes made while offline are synchronized automatically when returning to the network. No special setup or programming is required — this synchronization logic is built into the server itself. This feature is especially useful for companies with employees working in the field. According to beta tester Ken Bliss, president of Bliss Industries in Milpitas, CA: “We have built our entire company around Panorama Enterprise. Panorama Enterprise keeps everyone on our team on the same page whether in the front office, sales, engineering, wirelessly in the shop, or remotely in the field.”
The Panorama Enterprise Server system is designed to be easy to setup and use, even for novices. “I’m a veterinarian, with no experience or training in programming or databases.” says beta tester John Kuttel, of Huntington Beach, CA. “The Panorama Enterprise system made it easy to set up shared databases to keep my five person veterinary practice running smoothly. The databases I’ve set up handle pet records, billing, reminder cards, vaccine expirations, licenses, and prescriptions (even printing custom labels for medicine bottles). A big plus is that I can modify the databases whenever I want (including graphics) — no need to wait for a consultant to show up. I also really appreciate that I can access all of the data at home if a late night emergency occurs.”
Other key features of Panorama Enterprise Server include WYSIWYG design tools for building HTML/CSS forms, remote configuration, management and debugging tools, support for Google Analytics, and automatic backup of live databases.
The software requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later (or Mac OS X Server 10.4 or later). Additional information about Panorama Enterprise Server is available from the ProVUE web site (http://www.provue.com). The product is available now, pricing ranges from US$399 (3 user) to $2499 (unlimited users + web publishing).
MacDailyNews Note: There is a 45 day trial available on the site, but MacDailyNews readers can extend this to 101 days by using the coupon code MDN8722.
What happened to the Old Spice girl? She’s hot!
God, is this program still around?
As an early adopter, I was using this database in the 80s. I gave up on dB IV and jumped over to Panorama and then retired shortly thereafter.
It’s good to be free…
Finally news not related to the iPhone. Such a nice cool breeze
Richie,
Too bad it’s something nobody cares about.
Unlike the Old Spice chick.
Does it push the latest cleb slut news?
Provue Dev are true Mac guys. They introduced their first Mac program way back in 1984, and they are still going strong. If you are in to databases, Panorama is the Bomb!!!, as Randy Jackson would say.
Wow. Anyone who knows anything about mainframe computing – historical or current – recognizes ProVUE’s web pronouncements as unabashed hyperbole at best, and pure B.S. at worst.
How fascinating that sales of “those mainframe dinosaurs [that] are long gone” are at an all-time high.
The VersionTracker comments sure do have the ring of a developer and not real users (especially the Enterprise version). I haven’t used the new version, but I did like what I saw when I played with an older version a few years ago. But those comments…
Their website says:
“For over 25 years ProVUE Development has had some of the most loyal users on the planet, as reflected by Panorama 5.5’s five star rating on both VersionTracker and MacUpdate.”
I find that misleading considering the small number of reviews (especially current ones) and the questionable, sales rhetoric within those reviews. I hope I’m wrong, but something smells strange here.
@Sir Bill Gates… You do live up to your namesake’s grasp of what is and isn’t important.
I am intrigued enough by the description to halt development on a FileMaker database and get reacquainted with Panorama.
theloniousMac,
“You do live up to your namesake’s grasp of what is and isn’t important.”
Is that your subtle way of acknowledging your sexual persuasion? Not that it’s any of my business.
‘Five Stars’ – I can understand why you would think that such glowing reviews by the ProVUE users might not be real but rather than just throwing your conjecture out there, perhaps it might be better to reply to one at random. Or two. Let the original writer have a chance to explain just why it is that they are so pleasantly pleased with Panorama.
I for one have been using ProVUE products since 1984. I am a full time consultant with 90% of my clients being PC businesses. But even given this PC bias as my $ making source, I still find Panorama to be the best piece of software that the Mac has had in the last 24 years. I’ve programmed databases in SQL, Access, FoxPro, dBase, FileMaker, Helix, 4D, and several others and I’ve yet to find anything that is as powerful as Panorama while maintaining an ease of use.
You can call me a phony or a shill or whatever you wish but do a Google search for me and you’ll find that I am real. I don’t go by a pseudonym in forums or on lists as I have nothing to hide. I am a Board Member of a 24 yr running user group.
If you still have doubts as to the authenticity of any of the commenters, do let me know which one you’d like to hear from as I am sure that I can arrange a personal response from them too. And the Dr mentioned in the article above, he too is real and you can easily check him out as well. Check any reference you wish. They are all real.
What a rowdy crowd on this board!
Some people here are questioning the veracity of comments posted around the web about Panorama and Panorama Enterprise, because they are overwhelmingly positive — even enthusiastic.
I can assure you I am a real person, easy to find, a real Panorama user, no relation whatsoever to the company other than customer, and not a sleazy marketing shill.
On the day I first bought a Mac in 1985, I also purchased OverVUE, the predecessor of Panorama.
That day, I also bought Microsoft Word and Microsoft Multiplan (now Excel), and Apple MacProject.
Today, I own more than a dozen Macs, everything from Mac Minis to Xserves. Right now, I am typing this message on a MacBook Pro with over 5 terrabytes of external storage attached, not to mention a MOTU 828 mkII audio interface and a T.C. Electronic PowerCore X8.
Software on my laptop includes Final Cut Studio 2, Shake, Logic Audio, Waves Diamond, full blown Adobe CS3, Microsoft Office (yawn), Windows Vista, plus at least a hundred specialty tools and commercial software packages for audio, video, and web development.
Until recently, I ran one of the largest Panorama-produced websites, over 80,000 individual .html text files (static pages — not counting dynamic database content). I resigned as webmaster of this Texas-based tourism website when the owner died, the company was sold, and one of my best friends left them after 40 years (he was my scout master when I was a kid). I am now building an all-new tourism website, re-scoped to cover the entire United States. All being done in Panorama.
I am also webmaster for one of the largest log home companies in the country, Satterwhite Log Homes. Their website is, with the exception of 2 manually produced pages (the splash screen being one) entirely produced in Panorama, in a content management system I authored myself. This website is also in process of being redesigned (to incorporate modern standards such as CSS and SEO), but the existing site is certainly no embarrassment:
Satterwhite Log Homes
Besides the websites, I have most recently used Panorama to migrate three quarters a million of customer histories between two other databases (Satterwhite is now using Salesforce.com).
OK, no brag just fact: Panorama is my favorite software application of all time. All the facts mentioned above cited just to demonstrate I am no neophyte or web blow hard.
I will also say that all the “marketing hype” others on this board cite is not exaggerated, but rather true and conservative statements of fact. Though I have only met ProVUE Development president Jim Rea twice, most recently in 1999 at a ProVUE Conference in California, there exists a very enthusiastic community of Panorama Developers, and an extremely helpful support email list.
After 25 years with a product, and over 10 years hanging out on a high traffic list server with a great bunch of guys, you feel like you “know” people. Forgive us for being enthusiastic to the point of advocacy!
By their nature, database programs are oriented to developers rather than consumers. For years, vendors like Filemaker have tried to achieve crossover success by marketing a database to consumers. Their recently introduced Bento product is interesting, but only as a personal tool.
The beauty of Panorama is it extremely accessible, even to consumers. But unlike consumer databases, Panorama is enormously capable.
With Panorama, the consumer can get results in minutes, not hours. At the same time, if you were to gather the top 10 Panorama experts, you would find none who feel they are touching more than a fraction of this program’s power.
Panorama is insanely brilliant. Not just the first day out of the box, but also 20 years down the road, after living with the program every day.
With any database development system, the masses are going to be ignorant. That’s the nature of modern life – there’s more hamburger eaters than cattle ranchers.
Don’t let you put this off. Anybody sophisticated and interested enough to be reading this thread owes it to themselves to buy a copy of Panorama. You’ll see why this “secret weapon” in your software arsenal should not be a secret at all!
I’ve used Panorama for years. I enjoy it quite a bit.
The people making less than enthusiastic comments obviously haven’t used Panorama.
I would recommend to anyone with a computer to take advantage of the demo offer. Wether your goal is the biggest server around or just sending e-mail to grandma with latest baby pictures attached automatically each week. Before you know it, you’ll be creating your own applications just for the fun of it.
I’m not a programmer (at all!) but have used Panorama off and on since version 1. During the past 4-5 years it has become an essential tool for our business and we now use it in all kinds of ways to manipulate and move data from PCs to Macs and back, and to access information to help our customers. I just purchased a copy of Enterprise and found it very easy to setup. Still getting acquainted with how it works, but already know that it will pay for itself in a couple of months.
A plug also for the Panorama listserve which is a truly invaluable resource for Panorama users like me who need frequent help when we try to do tricks far above our knowledge level. Good software is wonderful; good software with access to smart experienced users who generously share their knowledge is priceless.
I’m another one of those loyal Panorama users and not fictitious at all. I’ve been using Panorama since 1984, the same month I bought my first Mac.
Geez, some of the posts here remind me of what it used to be like dealing with PC people. Remember when they thought that because it had a smaller base, Mac couldn’t be as good? Many of us knew it was far superior. Same deal here folks! Don’t dis what you don’t know.
I have over 2,000 customers using Panorama products that I’ve built on it, with features and abilities other databases simply couldn’t provide me with.
<a href = “http://HSLtd.us” target = “_Blank”>HindSight Ltd</a>
If I need new fields, new forms, new procedures… I just pop them right in and keep on rolling.
In Panorama Enterprise I now give my customers an incredibly fast shared system at a price the others don’t match. You can believe ever clam ProVUE makes in that press release.
I’ve got over 30 web sites (some are my own, others are customers’) running Enterprise, such as <a href = “http://FindAPhotographer.us” target = “_Blank”>Find A Photographer</a>. Some have been up since early beta releases in late 2005. It’s proven to be rock solid and, as always, fast.
After all these years I admit that I am spoiled. Too often instead of buying other software, I turn to Panorama since I’ve come to see it as a programming environment. I’ve built my own utilities for backing up files, indexing drive contents, writing metadata into images, creating javascripts and on and on. I’m enhancing my ftp client now. It tends to be true that the limitations often turn out to be between my ears.
If you build or use databases (I can’t imagine otherwise) you owe yourself a serious look at Panorama.
Danny Grizzle,
HOT DAMN DUDE !!!
You got me so worked up I want to run out and buy this stuff. And I don’t even know what the hell it is!
” Forgive us for being enthusiastic to the point of advocacy!”
What’s to forgive? The Mac isn’t the only thing in the world that’s awesome.