Historical:Imatronics Panorama Express
Panorama Express is one of the few Windows programs I have found that supports oneshot images out of the box, as well as spherical panoramas (It does not support partial panoramic images).
You can create a tour based on donut images from numerous lens types, including, 0-360, BeHere, Kaidan, Remote Reality, and more. Your tour can also be based on spherical panoramas � but not a mixture of both.
Tour creation is fast and easy, and the linking mechanism is unique. I found the program to be a little buggy in the placement of text (often not on the pointer, but off in left field) on donut based tours, but flawless on spherical images.
The program can automatically create a collection of tour types for you (pretty unique feature). One click gets you java, activeX, and an e-mail package (a Windows only EXE). The packages are created in a couple of formats, including "multiview".
Panorama Express supports maps, compass, internal linking and more.
See a sample tour here (took about 45 minutes to create).
Panorama Express has been in version 1 for quite a while, so has some bugs to contend with.
--Add360.com 02:46, 30 Oct 2005 (EST)
Followup: I too have had the same support issues, and promise after promise of an imminent release that would address the many bugs in version 1. Unanswered e-mails, major, un-addressed / corrected bugs, etc.
--Add360.com 16:05, 10 Feb 2006 (EST)
Panorama Express Update From a Registered User
Everything posted above is factual however, a word of caution prior to purchasing the product. As stated, the product has been "version 1" for a long time. I purchaed the program after corresponding with the author concerning the direction and features of future releases.
Frank Ekpar (the author) described the planned 2.0 release as "the ultimate pano sofware" which would utilize reviolutionary new techniques and methods and would offer a "one stop" pano solution. Periodic posts by the author promised 2.0 was "right around the bend" and would give expected release dates.
These dates came and went with no commnet on why they were not met. Now, after numerious requests for support, updates on 2.0 release date, they still go unanswered. The product has 85 (as reflected on the forum) registred users, some of which have posted scolding and angry posts on the PE forum, all unanswered.
It was learned that Mr. Ekpar has taken a postion with a local university in Japan (location and residence of the author) which probably accounts for the abandoment of PE. Prior to updating this posted reference by Add360, a private email was sent to Mr. Ekpar asking these issues be addressed. No reply received(read receipt received for original email). The email to Mr. Ekpar also stated that if no reply was received, this post would be made to state the issues concering the status of PE.
Buyer/User Be Warned!!
--Kyle Goodnight 21:16, 17 Nov 2005 (EST)