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News: Adobe to Acquire Macromedia in 3.4B deal

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  1. Adobe to Acquire Macromedia in 3.4B deal (29 messages)

    Adobe has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Macromedia in an all-stock transaction expected to be complete sometime in the fall of 2005.

    Adobe's software includes the Acrobat PDF suite and Photoshop. San Francisco-based Macromedia produces JRun, a J2EE application server, Cold Fusion, Flash, and DreamWeaver.

    "Through the combination of our powerful development authoring and collaboration tools", the company said, "and the complementary functionality of PDF and Flash – we have the opportunity to drive an industry-defining technology platform that delivers compelling, rich content and applications across a wide range of devices and operating systems."

    Some have speculated that the combination was done to better position Adobe/Macromedia against Microsoft, whose Longhorm features (especially Avalon) would have been a serious thread to both companies.

    The transaction, contingent upon the approval of both companies' stockholders, also requires the approval of federal regulators.

    Is this the death of Coldfusion and JRun? Or will good things come of this merger? What are your thoughts about the future direction of the Macromedia technology stack?
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    Threaded Messages (29)

  2. Adobe to Acquire Macromedia in 3.4B deal[ Go to top ]

    Why do you think they are buying it.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  3. Death to all Macromedia products[ Go to top ]

    ... is what's going to happen. This acquisition sounds like a way to kill all the lower-priced, equally functional Macromedia products like Fireworks and friends.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  4. Death to all Macromedia products[ Go to top ]

    Frankly I dont believe so. Dreamweaver and Flash are all excellent products and well reputable.

    I am more concerned with things like Fireworks, Freehand etc.

    I am also curious as to what the future holds for Flex...
    Reply to this Reply to original

  5. Death to all Macromedia products[ Go to top ]

    I am more concerned with things like Fireworks, Freehand etc.

    I have been using Dreamweaver and Photoshop for years and years. These two are the cornerstones of good Web design software and I doubt this will change. As for Fireworks, Freehand, et. al., I won't miss them when they're gone. Fireworks is an ImageReady rip-off and Freehand should have been put to death a long time ago. There is nothing Freehand can do that Illustrator can't do ten times better. Adobe owns the market for vector illustration.

    I see this merger as a good thing, and I hope to see some culling of less popular (IMO) products like Freehand, Fireworks, GoLive, ColdFusion, etc. and a strengthening of the superior products. I use Dreamweaver MX 2004 and it has some great J2EE features. Third party developers have been extending Dreamweaver for some time now. For those interested, check out http://www.fwasi.com/products for some excellent Struts and JSTL tag support for DMX. (I'm not affiliated with FWASI btw, I just like their extensions.)
    Reply to this Reply to original

  6. Oyimamaowadauitalking?[ Go to top ]

    Fireworks is an ImageReady rip-off and Freehand should have been put to death a long time ago. There is nothing Freehand can do that Illustrator can't do ten times better.

    Fireworks is vector base while ImageReady pixel base. ImageReady will be obsorted by Photoshop.

    Freehand has some very nice features.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  7. Oyimamaowadauitalking?[ Go to top ]

    Fireworks is vector base while ImageReady pixel base.

    Yes, Fireworks handles vector graphics but it can also be used for editing pixel images. Actually, this is the way it was intended to be used when you look into Dreamweaver/Fireworks integration. Freehand is/was Macromedia's main vector graphics tool. And a stinky job it did at that (see below)...
    ImageReady will be obsorted by Photoshop.Freehand has some very nice features.

    Absorbed? That would be good. I never understood the use of two virtually identical Photoshop clones. As for Freehand, this software is a close second behind Lotus Notes for worst interface design award IMO. Basically it's a very low-budget copy of Illustrator.

    For instance: The tool palette has shortcut key suggestions but they don't even work, so you can't use the keyboard to switch tools like you would in Photoshop or Illustrator. Hindrance? Also, Macromedia released an update for FreeHand MX that basically rolled it back to the previous version, GUI and all. What does that say about software quality? ;)
    Reply to this Reply to original

  8. Future for Flex[ Go to top ]

    In fact I am also quite worry about the future for Flex as it is a real pity if the product line will no longer be supported.
    Adobe is proficient in desktop publishing market and server side products like JRun, ColdFusion and Flex are not yet the mainstream products for Macromedia. If the product lines are again reviewed by Adobe it may choose to give up those they are not really proficient in.

    ==================
    http://pccm.blogspot.com
    A typical Hong Konger sees a dim future ahead. That's why I am working
    harder to gain an edge under this adverse circumstance.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  9. Death to all Macromedia products[ Go to top ]

    I would imagine Dreamweaver and Flash are safe. Contribute might be safe by association with Dreamweaver. But fireworks and freehand are probably in trouble.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  10. Death to all Macromedia products[ Go to top ]

    I would imagine Dreamweaver and Flash are safe.
    Adobe has GoLive - direct competitor to Dreamweaver.
    I think only Flash will survive.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  11. If it was macromedia accquire Adobe[ Go to top ]

    I like flash/firework interface compared to photoshop. Well in hands of adobe i fear if they will make flash like photoxhop.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  12. JRun[ Go to top ]

    About JRun: it's already dead... Macromedia has not ported it to J2EE 1.4 and does not intend to do so... so goodbye Jrun.
    About CF: I am curious to know what will happen to it.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  13. JRun[ Go to top ]

    I thought ColdFusion was going to be ported to a J2EE environment (maybe it already is), so if JRun is dead, CF is probably dead as well.

    Steve
    Reply to this Reply to original

  14. JRun[ Go to top ]

    It is already so. We have a lot of users for our JSP tags from CF world. Ant they are removing white spaces with out Trim filter too.

    Dmitry
    Coldbeans
    Reply to this Reply to original

  15. JRun[ Go to top ]

    About JRun: it's already dead... Macromedia has not ported it to J2EE 1.4 and does not intend to do so... so goodbye Jrun.About CF: I am curious to know what will happen to it.

    I thought they already ported it to JSP tags. If you look at the output from the latest CF, it has a ton of extra carriage returns, which is the result of JSP tags. It's kinda funny, since some friends and I were joking CF should port to servlets in 2K.

    peter
    Reply to this Reply to original

  16. JRun[ Go to top ]

    JRun and CF aren't any thread to Adobe's product focus. If it doesn't want them, it might well sell them on?
    Reply to this Reply to original

  17. Adobe to Acquire Macromedia in 3.4B deal[ Go to top ]

    If Adobe are fighting Microsoft in the documentation processing area are any of the following likely to pass ?

    1) Increased interest in Linux porting of web development tools such as Dreamweaver. Adobe have one product already written with a QT based front end.

    2) Earlier Xforms support in Dreamweaver. ( perhaps Adobe have their own proprietary way of doing this though )

    3) Regarding Fireworks, do Adobe have a better vector art
    program to replace it with, fireworks is not bad and also
    tightly integrated with Dreamweaver.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  18. Adobe to Acquire Macromedia in 3.4B deal[ Go to top ]

    I've always respected these two companies. From their ability to create and deliver high quality products, to their proven effectiveness and ability to thrive in the MS-dominated Windows environment.

    I think the new Adobe will be something to watch.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  19. Hope for an SVG-Flash integration?[ Go to top ]

    This is quite big... I wonder if Dreamweaver will either replace or be integrated into GoLive... I know my company's designers are mostly DW folks, with one fervent GoLive fan.

    Adobe pushed SVG as a standards-based alternative to Flash and unfortunately failed, since it couldn't get the plug-in to be as accepted as the Flash one. Is there hope now for SVG to be integrated into Flash and make Flash more standards-friendly and accessibility-friendly? Image describing your Flash movie in XML like SVG. Or making a dynamic pie chart in Flash from an XML datasource (Yes ActionScript is there, but it uses DOM--wouldn't you get tired of getChild().getChild().getChild() after a while? :)).

    I don't have much hope for the JRun/CF products. Chances are they'll hold up CF as long as they can, some pretty big web sites actually use it (eDiets, for example).
    Reply to this Reply to original

  20. Predictions[ Go to top ]

    Well it seems Macromedia have the superior web infrastructure at least.. adobe.com has buckled under the load.

    Seems to be more overlapping than complimentary products in this merger. I've been around long enough to remember what happened to Kawa when Macromedia acquired them and before that Abode 'acquiring' the competing Aldus PhotoStyler http://www.jlittlewood.com/tech/setup/photostyler.htm.

    Adobe don't seem to have Flash/Director counterparts, although there is *some* similarity between SVG and Flash in some respects - not sure how or if they should be combined against Mircosofts Longhorn onslaught. PDF/Flash just gives me the shivers.. all the multimedia stuff they bundle into Acrobat these days just seems pointless.

    Golive conflicts with Dreamweaver of course, although I believe Dreamweaver is the more popular of the two.. I'd expect to see more of an Adobe Dream-Live than a Go-Weaver.

    Freehand is on dodgy ground, Illustrator is far superior - although interestingly I notice there's no cut-down, cheaper Elements version of Illustrator? Freehand always filled this gap before.

    FireWorks would be out-of-place, PhotoShop does it all and more.

    JRun and ColdFusion seem similarly out-of-place looking at their product lists, again wernt these acquired by Macromedia from Alliere at some point? when they went after Homesite.

    - Richard
    Reply to this Reply to original

  21. RE: Hope for an SVG-Flash integration?[ Go to top ]

    ...Image describing your Flash movie in XML like SVG. ...
    Well, Couple of APIs already exist for describing flash movies in XML -
    Laszlo presentation server is one. Check out http://www.laszlosystems.com/.
    Its open source to boot.

    Another one is http://www.activeswf.com/flash-generation-software-professional.html

    I am not particularly impressed by activeSWF since it's capabilities are very limited - especially considering how creating flash MX components using ActionScript empowers you.

    Laszlo on the other hand seems more flexible and powerful (it's still getting there)- the only restriction being that it is a server-based tool - requiring tie in with an app server or a servlet container (have tried it with Tomcat).

    I believe a few more are incubating right now.
    I definitely think Adobe is going to have a crack at some kind of SVG+Flash MX hybrid - it would be very interesting to know how they are going to approach it.
    I have more than dabled in Macromedia Flash MX - and though its had 3-4 years, its still pretty young and immature - though I still say its an excellent product.

    I would like to think Adobe is going to infuse its usual stability into Flash MX
    Reply to this Reply to original

  22. RE: Hope for an SVG-Flash integration?[ Go to top ]

    Gaa... forgot about Laszlo, I have been somewhat impressed by it as well... But remember it's a framework that uses Flash with your xml... SVG is a specification.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  23. RE: Hope for an SVG-Flash integration?[ Go to top ]

    It'd be a shame if adobe swallow the server applications that MM have. JRun4 was actually a nice application server, but version 3 was such rubbish that few people ever made the migration.

    Adobe do support the OS community, perhaps they will choose to open the application server in the hope that the community would adopt it and upgrade it. It will also be interesting to see what happens with Flex, perhaps they'll remove the ridiculous price tag!
    Reply to this Reply to original

  24. JRun 4 in Maintenance Mode[ Go to top ]

    I wonder if this spells the end. JRun 4 has been in maintenance mode for something like 2.5 years.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  25. So obvious why...[ Go to top ]

    Adobe needed Fontographer

    Microsoft and Adobe are in bed together. They don't mess with each other.

    Adobe will make sure you want both GoLive and DreamWeaver, both Photoshop/ImageReady and now plus Firework by creatively jiggle feature mix, like InDesign and Frame: anything Frame excel at, InDesign cannot do.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  26. 2005 Flash is worth 3.4B[ Go to top ]

    This is basically what Flash is worth today. And it is really stupid to pay so much for a browser plugin technology, which isn't going to make it in the long run.

    It will all be application markup language of some kind in 2-3 years from now.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  27. War?[ Go to top ]

    Seems like a showdown of sorts is brewing between Longhorn's Avilon and Adobe's new PDF/Flash/SVG conbo, for control of the rich client. I know rich clients are the minority for web sites, but it will be war non the less.

    Personaly I don't much like Adobe or Microsoft as companies. I have They both seem to kill everyone they buy. But I will admit that I have Windows, Acrobat, and Photoshop on one of my machines, and use them quite a bit.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  28. Adobe to Acquire Macromedia in 3.4B deal[ Go to top ]

    So now, basically Adobe has no more serious competition. Looks like a good opportunity for a small, agile competitor to spring up and fill the vacuum. There's always room for a number 2.
    Reply to this Reply to original

  29. Adobe to Acquire Macromedia in 3.4B deal[ Go to top ]

    I heard on edition of "Marketplace" a syndicated broadcast aired here in NYC thru WNYC that Adobe and Macromedia want to introduce new "pdf" format that does not need OS to run. Not quite sure what it means but report said that Microsoft is really pissed about this. May be someone can elaborate?
    Reply to this Reply to original

  30. More tools to support MXML. Flash Paper?[ Go to top ]

    Indeed, the RIA (Rich Internet Application) market is still green and Macromedia's Flex (MXML) needed to be more supported with other tools although its speed will be something to worry about against native calls in the Longhorn case and XAML.

    I guess the Macromedia Flash Paper solution will be absorbed to something like 'Super Fast PDF' for Adobe.

    Overall I think this merge is positive
    Reply to this Reply to original