IMatch 5 Web Site

[JohanEkerot]

Mario

I'm fairly certain that it has nothing to do with FF Caching, rather it is due to the combination of resolution/font sizes I use.
I've attached a screenshotfor easier understanding

/Johan

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mario]

Ah, you just did not scroll down. There's little I can do if the user uses a small browser window or large font's and does not scroll down. Except either adding more text (like: "Scroll down, there's text below the image") or forcefully scroll down in JavaScript, but that would hide the headline and intro paragraph.

[Winfried]

I had another quick look at the web site.
For me two aspects are missing:
- why should I use a DAM at all? What is the benefit of using a DAM?
- I am using i.e. Lightroom (Capture One Pro, ACDSee,..)  as a DAM. Why should I use another tool. What benefit do I get? How can this tools used together?
The brigde or the Photoshop Elements Organizer do all, what I need.

Winfried

[Sorted]

Many of the screen shots in the slides are 100% crops already. So which crops do you mean, exactly?
Which slides should be bigger? I've also already tried to make IMatch 5 look as good as possible, what would you do different to make it even more better?
I'm nor sure about he "at an angle part"...?

The site layout is fixed with a content area of 640 pixel, with an overall 960 grid. I don't really want to break my site layout for "always" larger slides - it would cause a lot of effort (including writing a new template for Wordpress which I never did before).

To show the images larger I would use a popup (I'm sure I can link this with the external library I use for the slide show somehow). I had a similar thing before for another site. But there, only 10% of all visitors clicked to the slides to enlarge them (it was clear that they could). And only 2% clicked on more than one slide. A lot of effort was wasted at that time. Not sure if it would be different for this slide show...

Actually what I meant was to place some 'static' screen shots, i.e., not part of slideshow, under the banner with text under each or incorporating text/graphics in the image. These would be as wide as poss (or could be linked to larger versions). I'm also thinking of a 'publicity' shot of someone - a model - using IM5 on a large monitor in a typical (imaginary) work environment; clean and modern. I don't know if you have access to facilities for this sort of thing but it brings life to the whole concept of DAM. This is why I'm thinking in terms of actuallly seeing a monitor with your very attractive software on it. Just an idea.

So, I'd start as you have with the title banner at the top followed by a stunning shot of a work environment (use a bit of imagination here, I have ideas but won't go into it at this point because this may not be what you envisage) with blurb about how IM5 will revolutionise your working practice (so much could be said but it would have to be limited to salient points). Follow this by two or three captioned static shots. Under this the nitty-gritty in all its complexity - the slide show.

My aim would be to make a very big splash at the beginning, relatively full of hype, followed by broad detail, followed by specifics. None of what you've done already would be wasted.

I've seen some excellent video presentations of software but indubitably this is very time-consuming but may be worthwhile adding later.

I hope I've explained myself adequately 

[Mario]

I've just read that Adobe spends about 150 million US$ on marketing each year... 
That's 150 million they collect from us via product fees - and then spend it to make us buy their products...

That's the same with all 'brands' these days...selling you something that's worth US$30 for $150 (e.g. a pair of sport shoes) takes a lot of marketing money.

I've finished the all new search engine today!!!!

-> Searching selected tags (about 300 frequently used tags) in 45,000 files in about 2 seconds! It's cool. More on it in the release notes when .140 comes out. I'm just writing the new help for the search engine and related features + scripting.

While waiting on my compiler, I've worked a bit on the IMatch 5 presentation, trying to incorporate some of the feedback from you already. I've fleshed it out a bit, adding some more text, basically a Q&A between me and the virtual visitor.

I definitely have no talent for marketing blurb of any kind. Sad but true. Writing marketing blurb is a skill and the folks who can do it demand a lot of money - for a reason. So we have to live with what I can come up with, hopefully with your constructive support. If you all buy upgrades and I get filthy rich I'll spend some of the money on professional marketing so you all buy more IMatch 

I'm planning to raise my credibility by adding real user quotes. So if you don't afraid to read your name on my web site (optionally a link to your own web site if it's not ad-infected) I would welcome your quotes about IMatch. Don't forget to become a fan of photools.com on Facebook and to follow me on Twitter.

Have a look at the new draft and let me know: http://www.photools.com/im5-presentation/

[clpratt]

Mario, web page looks great!
#1: Not sure if you meant to have 2 instances of the word "in"

"Why do I need it?

You need IMatch when you work with large amounts of image files, or other digital assets. Even if you have a RAW processor with some built-in in 'management' features,"

#2: "Phew! Sounds great. So, how does it look like?" I would suggest : ... how does it look?  OR ... what does it look like.

Best regards
Chris

[Sorted]

Looking good but I stll reckon you could use more graphics and less blurb at the start. I'll try to give some suggestions, if wanted, another time but got a lot on at present (home renovations ).

Just spotted one small error: 'Phew! Sounds great. So, how does it look like?' should read: Phew! Sounds great. So, what does it look like?

[Mario]

Thanks for the typo reports. Fixed.

[joel23]

Might be of interest to check how websites look on different device.

Mario,
when being on the second last image of the slideshow and when click forward it seems it goes all way back to an image at the beginning. Maybe wrong numbering?

[Mario]

Might be of interest to check how websites look on different device.

I test my web site on current and a bit older versions of IE, Firefox and Chrome. Also on tablets. Since IMatch is a Windows application, smart phone browsers are not my real audience. My web site is usable, at least with Firefox and Chrome on Android. I don't test Apple products.

seems it goes all way back to an image at the beginning. Maybe wrong numbering?

Seems to be a glitch in the JavaScript library I use for the slide show (I don't write this code myself). I have found no setting or option which solves than quickly, and I currently don't have the time to start debugging third party JavaScript libraries.

[Darius1968]

I had a look at the password protected site now, and I like what I see.  I agree with others who say that images should larger to afford better reading of what's in the image, text wise.  Also, as someone who has used IMatch since 2004, I've tried myself to turn others onto this software.  What I've found to be the easiest thing to explain to friends is about the categories - how they allow single files to show up in multiple virtual folders, and also the Boolean logic that's available t show relations.  I think more of this kind of illustration in the website would serve as a useful "come on" to interest everyday people.  I found the concept of categories to be the easiest to explain to others, but maybe others powerful and useful assets of this software can be enumerated in a short and sweet way.  Perhaps, long time users of IMatch, when they see these things would get new insight into how the product can be useful to them in ways they hadn't thought of previously!   

[WebEngel]

Many comments address the audience "Lightroom users" or professionals.

I would include a page for the target audience "Explorer users".  Their attitude is: "I use Win Explorer. It shows me the pictures, I double-click on them to view them.  Why do I need more?"

They need arguments like:
Categories: The picture of your child shot during the vacation in Italy belongs to two categories, "Vacation Italy 2014" and "Child" -- the file system and Windows Explorer cannot do that, IMatch can.
E-Mail with resize: [explain]
Rating: [explain]
Metatadata/descriptions: [explain]
Filter and Search:[explain]
Map (as an increasing number of cameras have built-in GPS): [explain]
that should already be it.

You really need two messages: one for the experts/Lightroom users and one for the Explorer users.

Martin

[suttonbg]

Dear Mario,

I'm responding mainly to your Reply #41. I think you have a more or less continuous spectrum of users who may gradually move from one part of the spectrum to another. I apprecaiate your comments that you are mainly targetting professional or pseudo-professional photographers. Fair enough, and for those, I think the test page and many of the constructive comments in other posts will provide your answer. That, to my mind, is the middle, possibly the guts, of the spectrum.

I would like to encourage you, however, to think a bit about the two ends. At one end with quite exacting demands, are the archivists. You mentioned librarians, but they are just a part of this group, which also includes historians, geographers, all sorts of social scientists and, increasingly, hard physical scientists. Twenty or thirty years ago, all our records were mainly paper-based but with digital data acquistion, huge data sets and digitisation of older records, digital asset management has become a major issue and is a term that they are very familiar with. I have been encouraging some anthropological colleagues to use iMatch 3, but I think iMatch5 will serve them much better. I will ask them for their comments to provide a (very small) sample of potential users from that area.

At the other end are the amateur photographers. I appreciate the comments you made about them, but I am aware that I started out like that with  a little Voigtlander  camera and a photo album, and now I seem to be pushing through the hundred thousand catalogued images mark (don't even ask about the unscanned slides). What I appreciated about iMatch after I stumbled across it was that it has grown with me. I think that if I had started with something like Windows Picture Gallery, I would quail at the thought of now converting that to a DAM system appropriate for my collection. In the same vein, I have bought members of my family subscriptions to iMatch and am encouraging them to keep their growing photo collections under control with it. With the range of digital recording devices available now, it has never been so cheap and easy to acquire another image or recording, so the need for a system that can manage a diverse and rapidly expanding collection, if not apparent at first, soon will be.

If you feel there is merit in attracting potential customers like this and "growing" them into the system, then I suspect your web page is not on target. Pages for competing products like Picasa are exemplars of simplicity. iMatch is not simple, but I think, based on my own experiences, that it can be started fairly simply and used in a more sophisticated way as a user's collection grows and their needs evolve. That is the aspect of iMatch that  might appeal.

Finally, thank you and all your helpers for the hard work in bringing this project to fruition.

suttonbg

[Richard]

iMatch is not simple, but I think, based on my own experiences, that it can be started fairly simply and used in a more sophisticated way as a user's collection grows and their needs evolve. That is the aspect of iMatch that  might appeal.

During my 14 years of IMatch usage I have repeatedly read complaints about the steep learning curve for IMatch. If a new user had to learn all about IMatch prior to beginning, I would not recommend IMatch. There is just too much to learn. However, like you, I believe that IMatch can be used to great advantage with very little study. Once a person is using IMatch, they should get an over view of what IMatch is capable of doing beyond the basics. If they read a summery of what a feature can do and think that that feature would be useful, then they can study that feature and add some new capabilities to their knowledge.

Maybe scripts are a way to explain what I am getting at. An IMatch user does not need to know how to create a script to use a script. However, they should have some knowledge of what scripts can accomplish and what scripts are already available. It does not take a lot of time to learn how to download a script and put it to use. Thankfully one can utilize scripts with very little study but if they had to learn all that there is to know about scripting just to use one, scripts would not be all that great. The learning curve would be too darn steep. In my opinion, IMatch is similar to scripts. It is easy to learn the basics and get started. Yet there are a ton of features ready for them to learn and add to their work flow as the need arises.

Although I agree with your assessment that the two ends need to be included, I am at a loss for words to make an appeal with just a few words. What I consider to be the basics, may not be the same for each user. For those with exacting demands, one would need to know what those demands are before stating that IMatch can meet those demands. One IMatch user is an attorney and IMatch is at the heart of his office management. My gut feeling is that IMatch can be a powerful tool for many professionals but how can one make a case without knowing that person's needs?

[Mario]

On my old web site, I had two tracks for the materials presenting IMatch. One was intended for Profession Photographers, the other was for Serious Amateur Photographers and the like.

IMatch does not have "THE user". Different types of users use IMatch, with totally different workflows and feature sets. It's hard to get all these roles "under one hat" as we say in Germany. I had them all in my head while designing features, but it's hard to differentiate them because they all use overlapping feature areas.

For example:

• Professional photographer, photo journalist, small stock agency. Using an assortment gear, RAW developing and image editing software.
• Serious Amateur photographer. Using an assortment gear, RAW developing and image editing software.
• User who takes photos himself occasionally, but also undertakes the task to digitize and organize a large family photo collection
• "Mom & Pop" who just want to get some order in all their photos (most of them now keep everything on their smart phones and in the cloud, trusting whatever service that happens to be pre-installed or recommended by friends)
• Corporate user who has been given the task to manage a mass of photos 'somehow'
• Corporate user who is responsible for managing images taken by insurance specialists, ..
• Municpal users who manage photo collections from streets, street repairs, pot holes etc.
• Industrial users who manage images of samples, patterns, stitching templates, ...
• Doctors managing photos taken from their patients ("before/after")
• Governmental and police users who use IMatch for CSI work, for analyzing image collections on suspects computers, ...

All of these user groups use maybe 50% of what's in IMatch. They all use approximately 25% of the same features, and then 25% different features. The biggest user groups are the serious amateur photographers, followed by the professional photographers. These two groups have almost identical requirements, there is not much difference anymore.

An amateur may not be interested at all in tracking submissions or how he can structure projects and clients using categories. But he may be structuring his collection by train or plane models, species or other classification systems. While a pro may use Attributes for submission tracking or keeping track of his clients, an amateur may use it to keep private notes outside the metadata. Corporate users often don't use metadata at all (or even know what it is). They immediately understand Attributes because 'it's like Excel'. They may find categories useful to manage files by case numbers, departments, etc.

Splitting the IMatch information available on the web site into multiple tracks is possible. But whenever I think about it, most of the information overlaps anyway. I could tailor examples for specific groups, e.g. "How to manage your family photos with categories" vs. "how to manage client/projects with categories". And maybe different examples for Attributes (or better don't mention Attributes in the Amateur track at all, because it can confuse users if they don't know what metadata is).

Fact is, users don't read that much information on-line. You have to grab their attention with the first few paragraphs or they leave. If they really need a DAM and they've heard good things about IMatch somewhere, they download the help or the trial version after glancing at the price tag and maybe some user quotes. They don't read deeply structured texts or even long texts.

It's just "Mhm, should I download and try this software". All the info on the web site should lead them to a positive decision, without the need to read too much and to detailed information. Pictures are more important. Showing is better than explaining. This is why I tried the slide show approach this time. A bit of showing, a bit of eye candy and a bit of text which can be read - or not.

The IMatch help will be available as a separate download. If the information on the web site is not sufficient to kick of a download, a user can download the help to check the software out in more detail before download.

I believe that the IMatch help does a decent job by explaining different aspects of each the he major features. We have How-to's. We have guides. We have a well-structured welcome page. And we have the Visual Index which presents all major features in IMatch with a picture and some text. Great for an initial evaluation of what's there, and to find things you don't know anything about but which may be useful now or later.

I'm not sure if repeating all that information on the web site will be useful. I learn much from your answers, no doubt about it. I'm thinking about the web site all the time, and will sit down again and work on it after the next Beta has been shipped. Keep your comments coming, they are all helpful and welcome.

Besides, I'm working on a "hook" for the web site. A hook (catch phrase etc.) is a short description of what IMatch does, what makes it unique and useful. All in one or two sentences. Many web site visitors only read this and then decide if it's worth their time to read further. If not, they'll leave.

My current hook is

Organize your images and other digital assets your way.
With IMatch, you can start simple but have unlimited possibilities later. It is reliable, scalable,
fast, works with all your applications, is based on open standards and does not lock you in.


let me know what you think.

[Richard]

I would say that your current "hook" is as good as it can be while keeping a wide variety of users under one hat.

[hluxem]

One of the main reason I switched to Imatch many years ago was the excellent user forum, helpful members and a very responsive Mario. While I agree that many people don't read too much on a website, I  always check the user forums before I download a trial or buy any software. It usually reveals  pretty fast if the claims on the pretty website are for real or not. More than once that convinced me not to upgrade to the latest version or buy a software at all. There aren't many post in the old user forum anymore, I suggest to open the beta forum registration to potential customers when Imatch 5 becomes official.

Heiner

[Ger]

Another attention catcher could be a tag-line for IMatch.
Something like:

IMatch 5
Beyond the image

Ger

[jch2103]

I like Mario's current hook. As Mario has said,  there are many, many potential uses for IMatch. Consequently, we testers are like the blind men and the elephant: everyone has a different idea of what the best features of IMatch are and what the best way is to pitch it. In the end, the best pitch may be discovered from examining the web analytics after the site is live.

[Photon]

My login at: https://secure.photoolsweb.com/customerweb
for download of v5.0.140 does not work for me. Nothing happens.
Resending license key does e-mail to me the license key (=password) I already have.

The password "oswald" on: http://www.photools.com/im5-presentation/
does also not work. Nothing happens.

What is wrong?

[Photon]

Mario

I'm fairly certain that it has nothing to do with FF Caching, rather it is due to the combination of resolution/font sizes I use.
I've attached a screenshotfor easier understanding

/Johan

When clicking on the thumbnail of "IMatch5 Start.png" in your message:
with URL: https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?PHPSESSID=glarkkh9g3aicv8tltt860as33&action=dlattach;topic=1755.0;attach=4254;image
the following web page appears:

Serverfehler
403 - Verboten: Zugriff verweigert.
Die angegebenen Anmeldeinformationen berechtigen Sie nicht, dieses Verzeichnis oder diese Seite anzuzeigen.

What is going on with wrong/dead links here?

[Mario]

My login at: https://secure.photoolsweb.com/customerweb
for download of v5.0.140 does not work for me. Nothing happens.
Resending license key does e-mail to me the license key (=password) I already have.

The password "oswald" on: http://www.photools.com/im5-presentation/
does also not work. Nothing happens.

What is wrong?

Cookie problem or some security software installed on your system is blocking the server from setting a session cookie. This is required for logging in or for accessing password-protected sections at photools.com.

[Mario]

When clicking on the thumbnail of "IMatch5 Start.png" in your message:
with URL: https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?PHPSESSID=glarkkh9g3aicv8tltt860as33&action=dlattach;topic=1755.0;attach=4254;image
the following web page appears:

Serverfehler
403 - Verboten: Zugriff verweigert.
Die angegebenen Anmeldeinformationen berechtigen Sie nicht, dieses Verzeichnis oder diese Seite anzuzeigen.

What is going on with wrong/dead links here?

Link is not dead, works well. It's your system that is blocking cookies or some other sort of security mumbo-jumbo you are using which interferes with the server trying to set/access a session cookie in your browser.

[HansEverts]

I have been out of the discussion for a while, so I hope this is still to the point.

Your hook phrase is fine.

I just had a look again at the IM5 website. Assuming I am looking for a photo management software and I find IMatch 5.

The "What does it do for me" is fine, so I scroll down a bit. But then under the image the first sentence under the header "How does it work" is "IMatch creates an index of all the files you manage". That may be critical for you as a developer, but as a user that would not be the first thing I would care to see. Rather than an explanation how it works, my priority would be to understand what it has to offer for me. I find that much later under "IMatch at a Glance". I would suggest to switch the "How does it work" and "IMatch at a glance" paragraphs. In the last one, I think a few key functions, mentioned in post 45, should jump in the eye. As you said, you have little time to draw someone's attention.

[Mario]

The At a glance text is actually the caption of the first slide in the show. I could repeat it in the copy or move it from the slide to the copy and use a more general text for the first slide. I agree regarding the How does it work. I already changed that in the non-public version of the page.

I've just uploaded the latest version of the page and surrounding layout.

[awoxx]

Hi Mario,

looks very nice for me. Maybe I have read not carefully enough but I am missing one new feature: IMatch 5 is avaiable in different languages now...
Since nearly every DAM Test here in Germany in the last years had pointed out that IMatch would be the best DAM Software ever but is too sophisticated and only avaiable in english language, this might be worth to announce. 

Regards,
Andreas 

[picolo]

Mario, did you remove the http://www.photools.com/im5-presentation/ site?
I get a
"Not Found
Apologies, but the page you requested could not be found. Perhaps searching will help."
page...

[Mario]

I revoked access while I'm working on it.