The word is out that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen recently held a secret meeting on Adobe’s campus. What was spoken inside the meeting room for over an hour isn’t known exactly. But plenty of folks think Adobe and Microsoft could be kicking around a potential merger to counter Apple. Or, is Microsoft simply ready to abandon its own Silverlight in favor of Adobe Flash? Here’s the speculation.
The New York Times gets the tip of the hat for breaking the story, as they apparently learned about the meetings from employees inside both Adobe and Microsoft. Apparently, the employees involved in setting up the meeting were told to keep completely quiet about it.
There’s no denying the meeting happened, but what the meeting was about is truly a mystery. Both Microsoft and Adobe declined to comment directly on it, but the New York Times was able to squeak out a comment from Adobe’s Holly Campbell, senior director of Adobe’s corporate communications:
“Adobe and Microsoft share millions of customers around the world and the C.E.O’s of the two companies do meet from time to time, however, we do not publicly comment on the timing or topics of their private meetings.”
Flashy Discussion?
The Times alleges that a person “familiar with the discussion” noted that the meeting focused on Apple, Steve Jobs and Flash, along with if Microsoft would acquire Adobe, or form a partnership alliance to fight against Apple. According to the Times, another person familiar with the situation claimed that Microsoft had looked to buy Adobe years ago, but at the time, the technology landscape saw Microsoft as too much of a monopoly, and the companies feared anti-trust litigation.
But with Google and Apple on the rise, Adobe and Microsoft have reason to unite.
It’ll be interesting to see what would happen between Microsoft and Adobe since they have competing technology dealing with web-content (Flash vs. Silverlight). Would Microsoft buying Adobe cause a merging of the technology, or would Microsoft divert resources to Flash instead? (Surely Microsoft knows Silverlight isn’t as popular.) But even that could be easily overlooked, if both companies have a goal to put Apple in check.
Despite my near-fanatical devotion to Apple, I look forward to what the Adobe and Microsoft plan on developing, because any pressure on Apple just makes Apple a better and more honest company. Whatever it is, this blogger has bets that it’s focused on the mobile area, especially with Windows 7 Phone on the horizon.
But more than that, it would be refreshing to actually have quality choices in the market, mobile or otherwise. Right now, I believe nothing ‘sexier’ on the market than Apple technology. Adoboe, to its credit, has some pizazz — which could give Microsoft a lift.
Anybody care to guess where Ballmer and Narayen plan to take the Microsoft-Adobe relationship?
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It is interesting to speculate a Microsoft Adobe marriage. Microsoft has dedicated resources to its Expression Studio which doesn’t compete that much against CS3 except for price (partners can get the stuff for free when they sign up for WebSpark. Students can get in on the DreamSpark program).
I don’t know if it would be good or bad because there are a lot of web developers that use the Dreamweaver products and they are used in colleges for Digital Design and Web Development courses.
What areas Microsoft could help with is in deployment. Adobe is atrocious in its installation, key generation, and incorporation in the MDT. Adobe support isn’t that great from what I hear. A touch of Microsoft in that area would be very, very helpful and make deployment easier.
I would NOT close the door on CS suite or any of the other Adobe technologies. I also wouldn’t give up on silverlight. Flash is being targeted for attacks more than ever. I would look at giving web developers a choice; flash or silverlight. Both have a good system in place for creation. Adobe is expensive and Microsoft Silverlight is free (relatively speaking).
I agree with Dave that it can only be a positive change for the industry with Google and Apple being the competition.
Dino
Dino: The VAR Guy (and Dave Courbanou) appreciate your opinion and your readership. The VAR Guy wonders if there could be some Microsoft-related news at the Adobe Max conference (Oct. 23-27, Los Angeles). Stay tuned…
-TVG
I’m throwing this out there: if, by some force or change in season, Microsoft does purchase Adobe, they better be careful of how they transition Adobe over to MS. If it were me, I wouldn’t change the name nor the direction, I would just mention it’s a Microsoft company.
If they do anything to change the fabric of what Adobe has, there will be a mass exodus of talent going over to either Apple, IBM, or open source companies and that would not be a good thing for Microsoft.
The days of buying out the competition are over. That strategy has backfired on them numerous times and they need to embrace technologies that are still in play without trying to inject their own type of technology.
If the merger does happen, it could mean for a greater change in the CS3 series (maybe some serious optimizations. Mark Russinovich would probably be involved in that.) And as I stated, the installation and deployment strategies need an overhaul! (WSUS anyone? *big evil grin*)
I will stay tuned!!
Dino
Dino: The VAR Guy agrees… If a Microsoft-Adobe combo ever happens, Microsoft will need to handle Adobe’s culture and technology extra-carefully. But then again, that’s true of any M&A deal…
-TVG