Panorama for Mac

User Reviews

• AWFUL PRODUCT

  DFHUBBSDecember 27, 2011

  Pros

  NONE THAT I CAN THINK OF

  Cons

  TERRIBLE DOCUMENTATION NOT INTUITIVE NON EXISTENT PRODUCT SUPPORT COMPLEX BEYOND BELIEF. I MADE THE MISTAKE OF BUYING THE PRODUCT BASED ON THE HYPE. I SHOULD KNOW BETTER. THEY DO HAVE A FREE TRIAL AND I DIDN'T DO THAT FIRST.I BOUGHT THE PRODUCT AND THEN SPENT MANY HOURS WORKING ON IT TO NO AVAIL. I NEEDED A SIMPLE DB PROGRAM FOR A SMALL BUSINESS AND GOT A PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR THE NEEDS OF A CORPORATE OFFICE. IF YOU HAVE A I.T. DEPARTMENT, THIS MIGHT BE FINE FOR YOU. AS FOR THE SIMPLE BUSINESSMAN...GO TO A DIFFERENT PRODUCT

  Summary

  1/2 STAR OUT OF 5

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• Great software, dodgy documentation

  gregravenOctober 4, 2010

  Pros

  Panorama is fast, fast fast, and it has some great features for data munging -- among other things. ProVue seems to have thought of everything in designing this database.

  Cons

  It takes me forever to find what I'm seeking in the documentation. The information is almost always there, but finding it can be a chore.

  Summary

  If you are fed up with the way the FileMaker approaches data storage, calculated fields, and user interface issues, check out Panorama: It could not be more different.

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• Outdated

  kcohenNovember 28, 2009

  Pros

  Cons

  Summary

  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />I used to use Panorama years ago in my law practice under OS 7, 8 and 9. The current Mac version looks like a port of the OS9 version. I didn't bother going beyond the basics in trying it out because I discovered quickly that it is still essentially a flat file database program with a limit ( I couldn't determine the exact number) on the maximum number of fields permitted. Because of this maximum, I couldn't properly import data from Excel. If you have old Panarama databases that you want to continue to use in OS X, it should work well for you, but for new users, there are better, easier-to-use choices available.

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• Been a big fan since I found it in the 80's...

  martimerAugust 2, 2008

  Pros

  Cons

  Summary

  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />Another terrific update for this long overlooked piece of software. It may not always be the most "Mac-like" piece of software available, but then neither is OSX. Once you get used to its peculiarities, it works, really well (both Panorama and OSX).

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• Essential for my Business

  SCorbettAugust 2, 2008

  Pros

  Cons

  Summary

  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />I have used Panorama for over 15 years for various database applications at home and work. It is my favorite software program, by far. It is fast, full featured, and very stable. I am a "serious amateur" when it comes to programming, but I can make it do just about anything from printing labels to running my business. The main thing I use Panorama for is to run my two physician medical office with integrated calendar, billing, mailing, and accounting functions. While I do appreciate the speed and power of the programing language, I love Panorama for the incredible flexibility of the graphic elements that allow beautiful and complex interface design. That gives the tools I use every day a beauty and refinement that is head and shoulders above any other data management application I have ever seen. All of the medical office management tools available did not meet my needs and I would have had to modify my practice to fit the software. That is something that gets me riled up, so I wrote my own and it (now) makes my work so much easier. (Don't get me wrong about the time it takes - this has been a multi-year project with many hours invested.) Another thing I do with it is print my calendar/planner. I have full size pages with to-do lists, reminders, calendar, references, notes and other must-haves for a dedicated paper calendar user. I print out one quarter at a time and Panorama uses its powerful date calculating aspects to make me a totally customized planner. Call me a fan. I don't know what I would do if I had to change to a more mainstream application like Filemaker.

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• Superb Software

  dpgrizzleJuly 30, 2008

  Pros

  Cons

  Summary

  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />Panorama is my all-time favorite software application. An early slogan was, "The database that thinks it's a spreadsheet." In fact, Panorama is easy to approach like a spreadsheet. You can be productive within minutes. But Panorama is also rich, with bottomless depth of capability and power. Useful for anything from an ad hoc personal shopping list to an internet enabled, multi-user enterprise application. Panorama deserves 10 stars on a 5 stars scale! Congratulations to everyone at ProVUE Development for a consistently outstanding product with decades of dedicated development!

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• Great for running a business

  scott280May 4, 2008

  Pros

  Cons

  Summary

  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />I use Panorama for all my administrative needs to run my business, a small record label. Itâ??s perfect for recordings orders, billing, printing invoices, labels and letters, reminding when to follow up on something and most importantly tracking sales. Data can be manipulated in any number of ways and changing how data is displayed can be set up with ease. Graphs are almost self explanatory. New titles are quickly added to all our databases as are any changes to any of our forms to accommodate our needs or the needs of our customers. Itâ??s also great for quickly importing data from other programs and exporting it after editing everything in Panorama which is much easier and faster to use. Creating a new database takes seconds! Currently our main Panorama database has over 2600 entries, each one having multiple products, prices, tax and shipping yet searching the database or manipulating the numbers happens instantly! Macros are generated by recording the userâ??s moves and then are executed at lighting speed. What could be simpler? Panoramaâ??s ease use and speed make my life so much easier. I recommend it to anyone running a business of any size. -Scott August, Cedar Mesa Music

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• Great product

  Marquedej--2008May 4, 2008

  Pros

  Cons

  Summary

  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />I have used Panorama as a personal tool for many years. It is an excellent database tool that is fast! It has a very complete programming/scripting language ... and if there's a feature that is missing, it gives you full access to your favorite scripting language: AppleScript, Perl, and Ruby (and others) The documentation is nearly too complete. Every aspect of the program is addressed in the documentation, which means it sometimes takes some "wading" to find an answer. However, anything that cannot be found in the docs, is quickly addressed on ProVUE's mailing list where hundreds of Panorama users, including the author Jim, selflessly answer questions. Great product. Thank you, ProVUE!

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• FAST, powerful, intuitive number cruncher

  Rick BarronMay 4, 2008

  Pros

  Cons

  Summary

  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />I've never found a better program for crunching the numbers. I can input a 10,000-record database in about two seconds, and it appears in columns that make it easy to sort. The 10,000 records sort in about a second, and the menu selections make it easy to sort, then sort-within, which means it keeps the previous sort, like states for example, and then sort cities within that and so on to the nth degree. Once I have the info sorted the way I want, click Group and voila!, it gives me totals by state, or month, or customer, or whatever I'm trying to find. Although it does support complex forms if I'm inclined to make them, the beauty is that I can get at the information I need in an instant, without programming. I do use simple forms, and don't feel required to spend hours creating macros, although I do use the handy "text funnels" to extract the info I need from the data. Also, inputting the data by hand is helped greatly by simple commands, such as initial caps, phone number or other formats, etc. There's much, much more to Panorama than I need to use, but for me, it performs essential tasks with incredible speed and elegance.

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• Panorama fan

  mchurchMay 3, 2008

  Pros

  Cons

  Summary

  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />I have used Panorama since its inceptionâ??and "Overview" before that. The program does everything I needâ??with one exceptionâ??to run our John Wayne Airport flight school. I'm no programmer, but have written hundreds of Panorama scripts (macros) to tailor the software to the specific needs of the business. The program is powerful, easy to use, and has features I have never dreamt of needing. When I'm too impatient to figure things out from the documentation, phone/email support has always been prompt and to the point. My only complaint is that my "other" program--scheduling software--runs only on Windows, forcing me to run Panorama on a number of PCs. Although everything functions as it should, the program is mildly unstable with the Win OS: we see an "unhandled exception" error about once every five days of continuous operation. It's not a bitter complaint, but it sure will be nice when the Win version gets an upgrade.

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