I was first given a preview of Open Text's new Flash-based DAM user interface over a year ago, in the fall of 2008. The release, at the time, was "imminent"; I even put a preview screen shot of the new version in the 2009 edition of our Digital & Media Asset Management research. Fourteen months later, customers of the product formerly known as Artesia are still waiting for v7.0.

It's been a rather long and intense tease, with the interface showcased at conferences and sales pitches throughout 2009, yet Open Text remains indecisive as to when they'll roll out the goods. Earlier this autumn, sitting with one of my consulting clients who's in the process of selecting a DAM, I watched an Open Text sales pitch showcasing all the slick features of 7.0. But when it came to the down-and-dirty demo of full features, the sales people retreated back to version 6.8. "7.0 will roll out before the end of this year," they promised. Just a few weeks later, Open Text announced the release will be delayed until Q1 of 2010.

Much of the growth of Artesia (which will be called Open Text Media Management in its next life) has been spurred by the intense audio and video management demands of the BBC, a banner client, and it's in the media giant's London offices that a beta version of 7.0 is currently being tested. But really: what's taking so long?

As we mentioned earlier this year, many DAM vendors have completely overhauled their interfaces to be Flash or Flex-based during 2009; Artesia is moving from a rather staid but utilitarian HTML UI to a slick Flash-based one. They're adding support of more file formats, debuting a SharePoint connector, and piling on enhanced workflow and bulk-processing features. It's more than a new interface, and clearly it's taking longer to pull the pieces together than they would have liked.

Be cautious if you're shown a preview of any version that's up-and-coming. The reality is, you're likely seeing a smoke-and-mirrors demo, and the real shipping software may not see the light of day for months, or even years. I've even seen vendors respond to requirements in an RFP based on a product roadmap or a planned feature, rather than what's actually part of the current version. Unfortunately, buyers often don't always have the detailed knowledge necessary to see when that's the case.

I've often told my female friends you should never marry a guy thinking you'll be able to change him; the same is true of your vendor. Never buy based on what a vendor promises will be "better" or "fixed" in the next version. Always select tools based on the current release, and be sure to specify to vendors in your RFP that they can't say they meet a requirement based on future plans. Artesia customers will be the first to tell you, you may be working with the current release a lot longer than you think.