Is The Feud Finally Over? Adobe Says It Loves Apple!

[Michael Essany]

On Thursday, Adobe made a shocking announcement. Adobe "loves" Apple.

Now, before you think flowers and notes of apology have been exchanged between Apple and Adobe, think again. The move on the part of Adobe today was not meant to raise a white flag as much as it was meant to respond to Steve Jobs' recent open rant that essentially buried Adobe Flash as a relic of the past.

The new ad campaign launched by Adobe Thursday puts forward a simple view: Adobe, in fact, still "loves" Apple. But Adobe don't like "anybody taking away your freedom to choose what you create, how you create it, and what you experience on the web."

It's a kinder, gentler jab from Adobe - certainly a different tone from that of Steve Jobs in his harsh comments that make Flash sound as prehistoric as the Velociraptor. More specifically in response to the Apple chief's biting words, however, Adobe co-founders Chuck Geschke and John Warnock issued an open letter of their own.

"We believe that Apple, by taking the opposite approach, has taken a step that could undermine this next chapter of the web -- the chapter in which mobile devices outnumber computers, any individual can be a publisher, and content is accessed anywhere and at any time."

Fighting back against Jobs' assertions with non-confrontational logic and passion, Geschke and Warnock proposed that Apple's veil of secrecy and closed-off posturing that shuts out the likes of Adobe will ultimately hamper the perpetuation of the creativity that helped make the digital revolution possible in the first place. Of course, no one in their right mind thinks that this campaign by Adobe will inspire Steve Jobs to turn around and utterly reverse his stance on Flash. But perhaps this move by Adobe will soften the harsh rhetoric on the parts of both Adobe and Apple, and maybe facilitate a cordial enough relationship where joint ventures will once again be possible.

But don't count on it.

[T4R06]

hahahah they need to survive!

[sungod661]

love is a beautifull thing

[Your Dads Friend]

Hell, I would do the same thing too if a greedy old man was trying to push my company in extinction.

[mobilexile]

There was a time when those of us in the ad / design world used QuarkXpress for page layout. We loved the app but we hated the company because they didn't listen to our requests and such. In time Adobe saw the discontent and created InDesign. At first the community scoffed, "No way Adobe will knock Quark off their pedestal." Now InDesign owns the market and arrogant Quark is little more than a pile of stinky ash putting out the features we requested in 1997.

Too bad, so sad, too late. F you, Quark.

In recent months and years Adobe has traveled the road of Quark -- arrogant, not listening to users, pumping out outrageously priced "upgrades" with paltry improvements, etc.

Will Adobe become the next Quark pile of ash? Christ knows Jobs was right that Flash is wonky. Why doesn't Adobe accept, improve, innovate and solidify their place?

[Rokesomesmeefer]

...
In recent months and years Adobe has traveled the road of Quark -- arrogant, not listening to users, pumping out outrageously priced "upgrades" with paltry improvements, etc.
...

You know, you could very easily substitute "Apple" for "Adobe" in that part and it would still be spot-on...

In recent months and years Apple has traveled the road of Quark -- arrogant, not listening to users, pumping out outrageously priced "upgrades" with paltry improvements, etc.

[Wolftamer]

OMG, sick to death of this Apple - Flash ****.

Here, the simple honest truth:

Apple products will never get Flash.
Flash will never be able to force somebody to use their product.

end of discussion. Just be done with it you two bozo companies.

[moon#pie]

^you can use flash on macs. just not mobile devices.

[TheDirtyDiddler]

Will Adobe become the next Quark pile of ash? Christ knows Jobs was right that Flash is wonky. Why doesn't Adobe accept, improve, innovate and solidify their place?

Exactly...

[extremzocker]

Adobe is looking for a cheap way out...

[NCMacMan]

WTF? Adobe is trying to do emotional advertising on "freedom"? This is one of the most hypocritical ads I have ever seen!

[Wolftamer]

^you can use flash on macs. just not mobile devices.

err, ya, I meant mobile devices

[ClerkDante]

Business is really rather simple. Create a product the other simply cannot live without. It doesn't matter if they've raped your dog and kicked your sister, if the product is needed, they will buy it.

Flash is no longer needed. Youtube switched, Hulu is working on a switch, you're done.

Get over it, and put this energy back into making a better, more desired product. Or better yet, a new, innovative item no one has even thought of.

[boxxa]

Well if Apple and Adobe can make up and be friends, maybe my ex and I have a shot!

[rickuk]

Flash is no longer needed. Youtube switched, Hulu is working on a switch, you're done.

Just got to wait for the rest of the web to switch which doesn't appear to be happening with any speed

[scooby4]

Well i guess datz a good way of going at it

[tremerone]

update and solidify....I agree.

iFlash

[skibumstevo]

Ya, that ad was about as honest as a republican political ad...

[DaMan05]

If I was Adobe, I would stop Photoshop for Mac production.

Cause, PS isn't really replaceable by anything else, so Mac users that depend on PS would have to switch to Windows. It's not like Adobe would lose much business because the people that need PS, NEED it and would switch to Windows...

[moon#pie]

If I was Adobe, I would stop Photoshop for Mac production.

Cause, PS isn't really replaceable by anything else, so Mac users that depend on PS would have to switch to Windows. It's not like Adobe would lose much business because the people that need PS, NEED it and would switch to Windows...

Bad idea. Still buy macs that run windows in boot camp or parallels and you have a better machine that runs windows.