The Next Wave - Digital Directions

Jason Taylor, vice president, sales/marketing, Canto, on how digital asset management will play out in 1999.

"The DAM market is still a developing industry with lots of small companies with diverse offerings, making it hard sometimes for customers to recognize the ideal solution for them.

"The entry of large industry players to this market in '99 will signify a major maturing. These will include a partnership between Heidelberg and SAP, along with a release of the Quark solution. The current number of 100-plus asset management companies will reduce through acquisitions and failures, resulting in a much clearer division of solutions. These will come in three forms: individual organization tools for single users, vertical workgroup solutions and larger enterprise solutions."