So, anyone familiar with the Xcelsius product BusObj acquired (actually, they acquired the company Infommersion, whose product Xcelsius was)?
We had some folks who found the product before the aquisition and want to use it make widget sorts of thing, but we’re trying to get a sense of what Business Objects’ plans for it are. I’m sure we’ll hear more at the conference, but just was wondering if anyone has any experience with the product.
Thanks!
Amy Miller 
(BOB member since 2002-06-07)
I’m thinking that this goes in hand with BO’s discontinuation of Business Query and the fact that Analytics is too unwieldy for specific/precise user customisable dashboard displaying.
The BI market has never managed to swing the hardcore users away from Excel - and probably never will - so taking that into consideration along with MS’s move into BI - they basically had no option, but to offer more interconnectiveness with excel. Most intricate user developed solutions are for speific kpi’s etc, so with a presentation and ‘what if’ capablity on an embedded platform, you have more chance of retaining this within one vendor stream.
http://mxdj.sys-con.com/read/47580.htm
MikeD 
(BOB member since 2002-06-18)
Hi,
What type of widgets are you looking to make?
There are several options using Xcelsius since the final output is Flash. If your looking to do something like a Konfabulator Widget, it can be created using the flash file and a program called mProjector that turns the .swf into and .exe file. you can learn more about mProjector here I don’t really have anything more about how it works yet, I’m still trying to get the program, but one of the Xcelsius developers told me about it and how it can be used with Crystal Xcelsius.
I hope that helps!
fhdendy (BOB member since 2005-12-01)
I’m not sure what to think of this acquisition either. I read the article below, and I think it created more questions than answers. I’m wondering how long it will take Bus Obj to develop and release a strategy around the product or its integration into the existing XI products.
Thoughts?
http://www.esj.com/business_intelligence/article.aspx?t=y&EditorialsID=7786
MSouders (BOB member since 2005-10-05)
I am not sure what the “big picture” here is either, but I know that there is a need for a “desktop” dashboard builder. Using AF/PM for simple what-ifs is sometimes like trying to hit a fly with a jack hammer. Anyway, not sure if you guys have noticed, but the Analytics in R2 PM. are “Xcelcius-like.” They both use Flash.
a.
angelsd1 (BOB member since 2005-10-21)
I’d bet this isn’t an accident. Rumor has it that the technology that drives Xcelsius will be making its way into Webi/Dashboard reports in an upcoming version…
DJ
DJ06482 
(BOB member since 2002-11-22)
University of Michigan Medical School has been using Xcelsius for a couple of years now and we love it. Easy to create and maintain slick, interactive dashboards. A variey of widgets. Ability to include an interactive .swf in a .ppt makes for an impressive presentation.
There are a few things we WISH it did, like the ability to create a graph with dual y-axes, (We’ve been asking for this for quite some time) but by and large we are very happy customers.
Try it out.
Log in userid/pw is demo/demo.
karendan (BOB member since 2006-02-13)
Anyone familiar with any competitors of Crystal Xcelsius? Tools which allow interactive dashboards from Excel Sheets? Does Cognos or Hyperian have a similar product?
ahmadwain (BOB member since 2006-02-01)
I think a company called CORVU can do something like this.
a.
angelsd1 (BOB member since 2005-10-21)
Yes cognos has a similar product called visualizer …Ihave been using that for 5 years.
Learnitwithease (BOB member since 2005-01-12)