The need of another 800 pound gorilla

[ErikKaffehr]

I'm somewhat concerned by the Microsoft / Iview issue. Don't know if a world owned by an 800 gorilla (MS) and a 800 oz gorilla (Adobe) is a better place to live. Small actors, like Pixmantec made good software that met customers need at a low price.

I don't really see the loss of Pixmantec to Adobe as a major disaster, I really hope that Adobe will take the best part of Pixmantec technology and uses it in "Lightroom" but until Adobe releases Lightroom for Windows we are just a good raw converter poorer.

Best regards

Erik Kaffehr

[61Dynamic]

Small companies with good products either get bought by large companies or become large companies themselves. It's the nature of capitalism.

Also, software is a difficult thing for a small company to maintain due to the need to provide support. Many times a small software company can become too successful and end up going under due to the strain of the success. In those cases, the company either closes down or gets sold to a larger company. Expansion for software companies is not as simple as you may think. Add to that the constant changing environment of digital photography, it can be very costly to keep up.

I'm more concerned by the accusation of iView by Microsoft than Pixamantec by Adobe. Based off track record, only good stuff can come from Adobe due to the buy-out. Microsoft however is a company that lacks direction in what it is trying to accomplish (in photography and otherwise). This leaves the long-term future of iView in question IMHO.

[Rokcet Scientist]

I'm somewhat concerned by the Microsoft / Iview issue. Don't know if a world owned by an 800 gorilla (MS) and a 800 oz gorilla (Adobe) is a better place to live. [...]

Erik,
contrary to most other markets, in the graphics/photo software market, Adobe is the 800 pound gorilla – with a 20 year rep!, and M$ is the wannabe! Even with iView.
There are rumours about Apple (replete with cash from iPod and iMac success) – the 800 pound gorilla in the graphics/photo HARDware market – possibly acquiring Adobe. That would be a worrysome development because they'd really have a de facto monopoly.
And we all know how beneficial monopolies are to you and me, the user . . . !
   N O T !

There are also rumours that Apple is eying Nintendo to get into the games market. Speculating that, after the take over, the new Nintendo would release a console based on the Apple Mac mini (Looky here). Makes sense too.
Let's hope there's more truth in this Apple/Nintendo rumour than in the Apple/Adobe rumour!