Cumulus (software)
Encyclopedia
Cumulus is a digital asset management
software designed as a client/server system developed by Canto Software
. The product line includes editions targeted to smaller organizations and larger enterprises. The product makes use of metadata
for indexing
, organizing, and searching.
Cumulus servers run on Mac OS
, Windows
, Linux
and Solaris systems. Cumulus client software is available for Mac
, Windows
and web browser
s.
application in 1992, and was named by Apple Computer
as the "Most Innovative Product of 1992". Cumulus introduced search capabilities beyond those available in the Macintosh at the time, particularly thumbnails.
Cumulus 1.0 was a single-user product with no network
capabilities.
Within two years, Cumulus released version 2.5, available in five different languages, and receive the 1993 MacUser
magazine Eddy award for "Best Publishing & Graphics Utility".
Version 4 of the software was the first version that was network
-ready, and was available for Macintosh, Windows and UNIX operating systems allowing for cross-platform file sharing.
Version 5 of the product changed the software core to use an open architecture
providing an API to external systems and databases. The open architecture
of Cumulus 5 also enabled a more functional bridge between Cumulus and the World Wide Web.
Embedded Java Plugin (EJaP) technology was introduced in version 6 allowing system integrator
s to build custom Java
plug-ins to extend the functionality of the Cumulus client.
Cumulus 6.5 marked the end of the Cumulus Single User Edition product, which was licensed to MediaDex for further development and distribution.
In the Summer of 2006, Canto released the Cumulus 7 product line.
Cumulus 8 was released in June 2009, including new indexation technologies and taking advantage of multicore/multiprocessors systems, and able to manage a wider variety of digital asset formats.
Cumulus 8.5 was released in May, 2011. Support was added for multilingual metadata, or what the company calls "World Metadata." Cumulus Sites was updated to support metadata editing and file uploads.
Digital asset management
Digital asset management consists of management tasks and decisions surrounding the ingestion, annotation, cataloguing, storage, retrieval and distribution of digital assets...
software designed as a client/server system developed by Canto Software
Canto Software
Founded in 1990, in Berlin, Germany, Canto Software is one of the longest operating publishers of digital asset management software.In 1992, the company released Canto Cumulus digital asset management software, which remains the company's flagship product line today. Cumulus is a client/server...
. The product line includes editions targeted to smaller organizations and larger enterprises. The product makes use of metadata
Metadata
The term metadata is an ambiguous term which is used for two fundamentally different concepts . Although the expression "data about data" is often used, it does not apply to both in the same way. Structural metadata, the design and specification of data structures, cannot be about data, because at...
for indexing
Index (search engine)
Search engine indexing collects, parses, and stores data to facilitate fast and accurate information retrieval. Index design incorporates interdisciplinary concepts from linguistics, cognitive psychology, mathematics, informatics, physics, and computer science...
, organizing, and searching.
Cumulus servers run on Mac OS
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
, Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
and Solaris systems. Cumulus client software is available for Mac
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
, Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
s.
History
Cumulus was first released as a MacintoshMacintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
application in 1992, and was named by Apple Computer
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
as the "Most Innovative Product of 1992". Cumulus introduced search capabilities beyond those available in the Macintosh at the time, particularly thumbnails.
Cumulus 1.0 was a single-user product with no network
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
capabilities.
Within two years, Cumulus released version 2.5, available in five different languages, and receive the 1993 MacUser
MacUser
MacUser is a biweekly computer magazine published by Dennis Publishing Ltd. and licensed by Felden in the UK.In 1985 Felix Dennis’ Dennis Publishing, the creators of MacUser in the UK, licensed the name and “mouse-rating” symbol for MacUser to Ziff-Davis Publishing for use in the rest of the world....
magazine Eddy award for "Best Publishing & Graphics Utility".
Version 4 of the software was the first version that was network
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
-ready, and was available for Macintosh, Windows and UNIX operating systems allowing for cross-platform file sharing.
Version 5 of the product changed the software core to use an open architecture
Open architecture
Open architecture is a type of computer architecture or software architecture that allows adding, upgrading and swapping components. For example, the IBM PC and Apple IIe have an open architecture, whereas the Apple IIc and Amiga 500 computers have a closed architecture...
providing an API to external systems and databases. The open architecture
Open architecture
Open architecture is a type of computer architecture or software architecture that allows adding, upgrading and swapping components. For example, the IBM PC and Apple IIe have an open architecture, whereas the Apple IIc and Amiga 500 computers have a closed architecture...
of Cumulus 5 also enabled a more functional bridge between Cumulus and the World Wide Web.
Embedded Java Plugin (EJaP) technology was introduced in version 6 allowing system integrator
System integrator
A systems integrator is a person or company that specializes in bringing together component subsystems into a whole and ensuring that those subsystems function together, a practice known as System Integration...
s to build custom Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
plug-ins to extend the functionality of the Cumulus client.
Cumulus 6.5 marked the end of the Cumulus Single User Edition product, which was licensed to MediaDex for further development and distribution.
In the Summer of 2006, Canto released the Cumulus 7 product line.
Cumulus 8 was released in June 2009, including new indexation technologies and taking advantage of multicore/multiprocessors systems, and able to manage a wider variety of digital asset formats.
Cumulus 8.5 was released in May, 2011. Support was added for multilingual metadata, or what the company calls "World Metadata." Cumulus Sites was updated to support metadata editing and file uploads.