R.I.P. Macromedia
The totally unexpected, and even undreamed of, has or is about to happen. Adobe is set to buy Macromedia. So what, you ask? Well, it sucks i say.
It sucks because for the past few years i have been an admirer of Macromedia's products, while having the total opposite feelings for Adobe's, with a few exceptions. Adobe and Macromedia are two completely different companies that have two very different orientations and mentalities.
I was glad that somebody (Macromedia) finally had the potential and apparently the ability to put up with Adobe in most product segments (desktop publishing, web graphics, web development, etc.) and create the much needed competition which usually allows for the production of more and more quality programs, features and new technology to hit the market, for the benefit of both users and developers/designers.
It could easily be said that Macromedia Dreamweaver was unrivaled as far as web development goes, thanks to its robust engine, features and great dev community, shadowing Adobe's GoLive software. Continuing to web graphics, the savvy designers know that Macromedia Fireworks simply did not have any competition. Its simplicity of use and time-saving features were and still are unmatched by any current Adobe product. [edit]As far as Flash, there is simply nothing much to add: it completely overran Adobe's alternative named SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics)[/edit]*. Additionally, something that most people have yet to discover, Macromedia has recently put a knife in Adobe's butt with their FlashPaper2 software; the Macromedia (Flash) alternative to Adobe's PDF (Portable Document Format).
So why am i not an admirer of Adobe products in general? Mostly because i have tried almost all of them, and i find them to be extremely cumbersome to use. It was about time that somebody put the same amount of power in the hands of devs/designers, but in a much more user friendly format; Macromedia did that. I am not saying that Adobe software is bad or not extremely capable; I am just saying that it is not as intuitive as it should be, or at least not intuitive enough for the PC market.
What market, you say? You heard right, the PC market -- that segment of users that do not use Mac computers, but rather Personal (Windows-driven) Computers. I personally compare Adobe to Mac and Macromedia to Microsoft. While i am not the biggest admirer of Microsoft, i must admit it has contributed greatly to the overall computing experience, helping to make this planet a more computer-savvy one.
I don't think it is too far fetched to say that Mac and PC users have totally different mentalities and attitudes towards different products and technologies; and it all resides in the lack/use of right-clicking. If that seems a bit funny or confusing, i would be more than delighted to further develop but in another post, since i have derived quite a bit from the initial subject... the acquisition of Macromedia by Adobe.
To make the above few paragraphs more simple, i'll say that Macromedia has put the right tools in the hands of the right people. They have identified the need for differently-built software and development tools and they have gone full strength ahead to produce them and make them available to those who had possibly already started giving up hope; myself included.
So why does this acquisition bother me so much? Because without Macromedia on the market anymore, I fear there will be fewer and fewer technology breakthroughs and quality software hitting the market; and that saddens me greatly. However, i could be wrong. Maybe Adobe really will stand by their statements posted in the F.A.Q. about this acquisition (available here) and really use Macromedia's expertise to enhance today's technology and put up even greater products.
As far as the F.A.Q. goes however, i feel Adobe is not so honest, and attempts to hide their real reason for purchasing Macromedia: FEAR. Evidently that they hide it, how many people or as in this case, big-time companies, admit that they fear their opponents will drive them off the cliff? Take the time to read it, maybe you will get to the same feeling. Think why, when asked who proposed this acquisition, Adobe is giving such a lame answer: " the CEOs of each company agreed that this was a great time to combine forces". Indeed, it was a great time for Adobe to force their enemy on their side. Otherwise, they were to continue looking, horrified, how their market share keeps dropping and dropping, in favor of Macromedia's. The question asked was not whether both CEOs agreed or not, but rather which of them proposed it FIRST. I have a very hard time believing that they both, in the same instant called/faxed/emailed/sent letters/etc. to one another. One of them did it first and i really do not see ANY reason why Macromedia would be looking to join forces with Adobe; none whatsoever.
With all the above said and posted here, i feel slightly better. I just felt the need to share my thoughts on this subject, and if you managed to keep reading as far as here, i thank you. Now go back and revise those few paragraphs you skipped ;) .
Read more about the "disaster" here: Adobe to acquire Macromedia
*Thanks to steltenpower for pointing out Adobe's SVG is not quite sinked. However, the main point remains fairly unchanged: Macromedia's Flash raised way above SVG.
For those interested, read more about SVG here:
http://www.technorati.com/search/svg
http://www.svgopen.org/2005/
http://svg.org/
It sucks because for the past few years i have been an admirer of Macromedia's products, while having the total opposite feelings for Adobe's, with a few exceptions. Adobe and Macromedia are two completely different companies that have two very different orientations and mentalities.
I was glad that somebody (Macromedia) finally had the potential and apparently the ability to put up with Adobe in most product segments (desktop publishing, web graphics, web development, etc.) and create the much needed competition which usually allows for the production of more and more quality programs, features and new technology to hit the market, for the benefit of both users and developers/designers.
It could easily be said that Macromedia Dreamweaver was unrivaled as far as web development goes, thanks to its robust engine, features and great dev community, shadowing Adobe's GoLive software. Continuing to web graphics, the savvy designers know that Macromedia Fireworks simply did not have any competition. Its simplicity of use and time-saving features were and still are unmatched by any current Adobe product. [edit]As far as Flash, there is simply nothing much to add: it completely overran Adobe's alternative named SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics)[/edit]*. Additionally, something that most people have yet to discover, Macromedia has recently put a knife in Adobe's butt with their FlashPaper2 software; the Macromedia (Flash) alternative to Adobe's PDF (Portable Document Format).
So why am i not an admirer of Adobe products in general? Mostly because i have tried almost all of them, and i find them to be extremely cumbersome to use. It was about time that somebody put the same amount of power in the hands of devs/designers, but in a much more user friendly format; Macromedia did that. I am not saying that Adobe software is bad or not extremely capable; I am just saying that it is not as intuitive as it should be, or at least not intuitive enough for the PC market.
What market, you say? You heard right, the PC market -- that segment of users that do not use Mac computers, but rather Personal (Windows-driven) Computers. I personally compare Adobe to Mac and Macromedia to Microsoft. While i am not the biggest admirer of Microsoft, i must admit it has contributed greatly to the overall computing experience, helping to make this planet a more computer-savvy one.
I don't think it is too far fetched to say that Mac and PC users have totally different mentalities and attitudes towards different products and technologies; and it all resides in the lack/use of right-clicking. If that seems a bit funny or confusing, i would be more than delighted to further develop but in another post, since i have derived quite a bit from the initial subject... the acquisition of Macromedia by Adobe.
To make the above few paragraphs more simple, i'll say that Macromedia has put the right tools in the hands of the right people. They have identified the need for differently-built software and development tools and they have gone full strength ahead to produce them and make them available to those who had possibly already started giving up hope; myself included.
So why does this acquisition bother me so much? Because without Macromedia on the market anymore, I fear there will be fewer and fewer technology breakthroughs and quality software hitting the market; and that saddens me greatly. However, i could be wrong. Maybe Adobe really will stand by their statements posted in the F.A.Q. about this acquisition (available here) and really use Macromedia's expertise to enhance today's technology and put up even greater products.
As far as the F.A.Q. goes however, i feel Adobe is not so honest, and attempts to hide their real reason for purchasing Macromedia: FEAR. Evidently that they hide it, how many people or as in this case, big-time companies, admit that they fear their opponents will drive them off the cliff? Take the time to read it, maybe you will get to the same feeling. Think why, when asked who proposed this acquisition, Adobe is giving such a lame answer: " the CEOs of each company agreed that this was a great time to combine forces". Indeed, it was a great time for Adobe to force their enemy on their side. Otherwise, they were to continue looking, horrified, how their market share keeps dropping and dropping, in favor of Macromedia's. The question asked was not whether both CEOs agreed or not, but rather which of them proposed it FIRST. I have a very hard time believing that they both, in the same instant called/faxed/emailed/sent letters/etc. to one another. One of them did it first and i really do not see ANY reason why Macromedia would be looking to join forces with Adobe; none whatsoever.
With all the above said and posted here, i feel slightly better. I just felt the need to share my thoughts on this subject, and if you managed to keep reading as far as here, i thank you. Now go back and revise those few paragraphs you skipped ;) .
Read more about the "disaster" here: Adobe to acquire Macromedia
*Thanks to steltenpower for pointing out Adobe's SVG is not quite sinked. However, the main point remains fairly unchanged: Macromedia's Flash raised way above SVG.
For those interested, read more about SVG here:
http://www.technorati.com/search/svg
http://www.svgopen.org/2005/
http://svg.org/
posted by A.I.G. at
12:21 AM
1 Comments
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