Sounds like a sound idea actually. Looks like maybe phase is thinking library type setup ala LR, Aperture. Big guess here
Actually in my view your 100% wrong. Phase has a lightroom/Apeture program for processing called C-1 and there is no reason to integrate I-view and C-1 into one heavy program.
I-view/Expression Media is the one software I use daily, well other than whatever software runs an Iphone and it seemed that Microsoft was removing i-view/expression media from their expression studio line up though I don't think anybody knows what expression studio is or does.
Anyway, I'm glad somebody bought I-view/Expression Media and hope they make some changes.
If anyone from Phase One is listening here are my thoughts and even if they are listening, none of us will know it. Anyway.
1. Customizable Type faces and sizes for web galleries, -see web pics
2. Click on center of larger image to move forward rather than to have to go to small icons (see web pics)
3. More modern templates that work for what photographers do. (see any graphic designer or just copy the Hasselblad website.) That's a pretty and simple interface.
4. Combine same file number of jpeg and raw to one photo (see photo mechanic).
5. keep the select drag and drop for organization. This allows us to shoot different cameras, group them in sessions, rename to a master list and go from there.
6. Read all photoshop files. PSD's with layers should read as one image not a yellow where'd it go background.
7. More stability with the Apple platform. Not that it was that stable with Windows, but I-view WAS stable with mac before Microsoft go a hold of it. Maybe just hanging around Microsoft for a few years makes everyone crash into a tree.
8. More real interactivity with video files. For some reason in the I'view catalog you could insert and play video in the catalog, but now in Expression Media 2 you can see the video, put it on the web by building a gallery and play it through html, but not in the catalog, (where it will play) but on some macs, maybe all of them you can't play the video in the catalog. Get with it. Video is a function of our lives and while your at it allow the video time line to be moved to set a poster frame so the html icon is what you want the client to see. (This will save hours of post production time).
9. Think of the future, not the past. The video/stills/sound files all into one catalog and one html document is great, especially for pre production, but think about turning this into an Iphone, Ipad app that actually downloads the gallery to the device, rather than wait for AT+T's slow (very slow) 3G network to read it and only hold it in a cache for a few minutes.
10. Don't dumb it down for the masses. If you want make a streamlined version called I-View Stupid or I-view Lite so people can load their 5d jpegs and make slide shows, but continue on with a professional version, with professional use and please included EVERY camera raw file for sorting.
Right now were working on a project and i want to put the conceptual and production information on an Ipad. I can do this with links to the web, but it's not an app and it's not actually downloaded to the Ipad, where it will play without some form of wi-fi, 3g connection. Try standing in a conference room with an Ipad and waiting for a video or even a small html document to load on AT+T's 3G network.
IMO
BC