Do I need a server? / Why?

Why do I have to install OMERO.server to use these tools? Most other image processing applications simply install on my desktop.

OMERO is a client-server application and because of this, OMERO is fundamentally different than most image processing applications that you might have used. OMERO integrates image data from many different different sources, (a range of light microscopy, screening, medical imaging, and soon electron microscopy data formats) into a single resource.  A variety of client applications that can all view and analyse data from the same resource.  We separate the functions of the server and client applications so that data intensive operations (reading image data from disk, data compression and analysis) are separated from user interaction functionality.  This means that users can easily access and share large, multi-terabyte datasets using standard laptops, or even handheld display devices.

So, to make all this happen, you have to install OMERO.server and the OMERO client applications.  The client applications are simple, and install just like any other application you use on your desktop or laptop.  OMERO.server is a full-blown enterprise data management application, and installing it takes a bit more time.  We have provided extensive documentation on server installation.

Currently, we do not provide a running OMERO.server for you to load your data into.  If you'd like this facility, please contact Glencoe Software, Inc.