Fireworks seems like it would be killed or rolled into ImageReady or Photoshop. Fireworks is a very unique app and has a number of features that are superior to the Photoshop/ImageReady duo. I don't really see a future for Fireworks though, and that is saddening.
What is going to happen to FreeHand? The word of print designers are split between FreeHand or Illustrator. There really isn't much gray area there — you either love Freehand or you hate it. Will Illustrator finally get the ability to have multiple documents in one layout? Let's hope so.
Have you heard? The new illustration app will be named "Frustrator." Sorry, I couldn't resist. For anyone who has used either FreeHand or Illustrator, you will understand that all to well.
What will Adobe do with ColdFusion? With the small bit of experience I had with it, CF is very nice to work with. It is a bit pricey, however, especially when you look at the cost of PHP.
What will happen to Macromedia legacy software such as Fontographer and HomeSite? HomeSite is the equivalent to BBEdit in my opinion, it is a really solid app. I hope it lives.
I am sure some good will come out of this deal between Adobe and Macromedia. At this point it is too early to tell; we will all just have to wait and see. Adobe had a chance to squash some questions right at the get go, but they said absolutely nothing. Am I surprised at this? Not at all.
MarketWatch also has a good bit of information on this deal. Jake has some thoughts, as does Mezzoblue and Slashdot.
I am sure there are a lot more opinions out there, so please ping me if you could.
.jpg?t=20120527181101)
Article comments
1 - Sal
This is a touchy subject, there will be big losers here, people that have become masters of an Adobe or Macromedia program, putting years and years into them and to know that, in the very near future, they may have to start from scratch. I may be one of them. I love the adobish visual side of Golive(that I've been using since it was Cyberstudio) and Illustrator too. I would not like to have to relearn the basics. I don't believe Adobe will mess with Photoshop and maybe not even Illustrator. I pray for our future and the Adobe interface designers/programmers, they have their hands full. I'd like them to keep in mind that Adobe bought Macromedia, not the other way around. I would be a winner and in heaven if I got the stablility and robust features of DW with the more visual Adobish Golive feel. Then again, maybe we'll get something in the middle. Ahh, this is touchy!
2 - Ken Edwards
To be quite honest, I hope GoLive gets the axe. I am strongly in the Dreamweaver camp. I used to like CyberStudio back when it was owned by GoLive, but since Adobe bought it, it has turned for the worse.
What is likely to happen however is that Adobe will offer both products, DW for Pro and GoLive for Consumer or "Prosumer."
3 - TheShadow
Well ... it's true that adobe buy macromedia ! however i don't think they r stupid enough to Destory DW History since it's ranked as #1 in Web Development Application
mostly they will leave it as it is and add the extra features that GoLive had ! this way they would keep DW as Ranked #1 Prodect but with More Tools and Options
4 - cybercow
Well... now is 2006 and i still use DW8 because f... rules not to mention FW8 that is the best web design tool ewer maked, flash 8 it`s out of comment, this trio will work on my desk with "macromedia in my heart" for years...
Adobe is sticky and anoying, only that adobe maked good is pdf and photoshop...
GoLive is for people that love to talk and must have "shiny" software on their desk`s that newer use, DW is for people that love to work and need high developing power...
and for the end... look at www.adobe.com, what they did of macromedia`s site, where are good known tutorials, examples... half of the site is not functioning, this is a disaster...
5 - Shehab El-Kadi
I cannot see the link or the similarity between some of Macromedia products and Adobe... freehand is a different software than illustrator, sure you can use Freehand to produce stunning illustrations, but any profissional will tell you that you need 10 times the effort to make sure that it prints good, and the color engine and proofing is really hard with FreeHand. I guess what made the value of FreeHand in vector graphics go up, is the smooth co-operation with Quark and the fact that it has multi page function(why, I don't know? since it does not messure up to any layout software). it was always like this, Adobe has a very steady and stable print oriented software, and Macromedia has made the big step and invested in web development.
You were always able to messure this by user transaction (profissional users), you can always easly move from freehand to illustrator, and from golive to dreamweaver.
why did adobe buy macromedia, is beyond my understanding, it is complementry software like freeHand what made illustrator take the big step from v8 to v10. Adobe will always need a Macromedia, a corel,...etc. to advance, and while big corporates create another brands and options to keep competetion even withen its own stucture, Adobe just killed it. I hope that it is thier plan to sell it to another small firm, and not just try to erase it. and I hope that the people of macromedia is just planning to invest in another form of flash and dreamweaver, and not try to invest in oil.
it is all going to affect the two industries, Print and web.