No more Macromedia
Kazik Pietruszewski

It is not yet known what exactly the joining of two leaders in the field of software for digital image processing, typesetting and creating publications will mean in practice, but changes in the nearest future are inevitable. Corporations that have always competed with one another will from now on cooperate... One might expect that at least a few programs worked out by Macromedia will no longer be developed: Dreamweaver – program for making Internet sites – is to be entirely replaced by Adobe GoLive CS. The works on Freehand will probably be given up for the benefit of Adobe Illustrator. Macromedia’s software elements will also appear in Adobe’s programs. The position of the Macromedia Flash format should remain unshaken taking into consideration that Adobe gave up developing its animation program LiveMotion some time ago. The Macromedia brand will be kept for some time, but it will finally be replaced completely with the Adobe brand.

Another related issue is that software may start to go up in prices. The merger of two largest companies in this branch means a considerable lowering of competition...

It is an interesting thing that Adobe’s sudden decision to acquire Macromedia, which surprised many, could be caused by the fear that Microsoft would be first to make this move (says John C. Dvorak).