"It would mark a major offensive in Microsoft's bid for a larger share of Internet media and mobile platforms by getting hold of Adobe's popular Flash player, used by many websites for video and graphics."

Microsoft wouldn't abandon Silverlight.

Adobe is a firm that caters to the media, the idea that Microsoft would go after Adobe just because of Flash irresponsible and demonstrates a lack of understanding about what Adobe does.

What is far more plausible, are talks about Microsoft buying the Flash division off Adobe (but still unlikely) or probably just talk of getting Flash on WP7, or getting Adobe to officially sanction a Silverlight-to-SWF (or Flash to Silverlight) programme.

Both Adobe and Microsoft would love to have a bigger slice of the mobile market. With Apple snubbing Adobe at every opportunity, and Microsoft getting caught with their pants down with the release of the iPhone, there is no shortage of men holding grudges in Redmond or San Jose.

If you look at the most popular games on the iOS devices, many have roots in Flash based games. In the short run, if Adobe released Flash or something Flashy, for Windows Phone 7 to get access to Flash game developers, this could only help with Windows Phone 7 and mobile Flash uptake.

Windows printing and document management is clunky at best. Adobe has all kinds of issues with security, and Microsoft as been working really intensely on security for a while now. If Adobe could integrate a better print workflow for Windows, and Microsoft could help with hardening Adobes applications, everyone wins.

The Expression suite of products has a good head start with importing documents from Adobe apps. However, the relationship isn't nearly as symbiotic as it needs to be. There is a lot of potential for XAML in the future, it performs it's duties well, separating code from markup, while maintaining expressiveness for both programmers and designers. Adobe has a suite of killer design tools, that have desperately needed a feature set extension worthy of a version bump. I think you could get that set, with better integration with the world of developers. Microsoft at it's core is about developers, as Adobe has designer DNA.

What the future needs is a chimera, how we are going to get there, I don't know. But I don't think we will get there with a merger of two adult companies. I would like to think that something can be created with a partnership; something like what GM and Toyota had in Nummi, with the resulting offspring being a big win for consumers, developers and designers.

-Josh

*IF* they were to aquire the flash division, i see them fazing it out in favor of silverlight, offering their customers an .net/expression blend upgrade path.

//or this is all just media posturing to gain leverage in negotiations with other companies. the *real* talks never get publicized.

It would be a strange acquisition, and would make an already huge company, that much huger.

I hope it fails, if it is up for discussion.

A few years ago, there was just the iPhone. Today you have Android and WP7. You can argue about which one you like and choose the one you like, how does a company promote competing products well?

I am not scared of learning anything new, and hope that as I escalate in seniority, I can manage Java or Linux based systems. You cannot know it all, much like I don't think a company can do everything well, and Microsoft is already too big.

4 hours ago, itsnotabug wrote

ms doesn't buy companies to support their products. it buys companies to destroy them.

*IF* they were to aquire the flash division, i see them fazing it out in favor of silverlight, offering their customers an .net/expression blend upgrade path.

//or this is all just media posturing to gain leverage in negotiations with other companies. the *real* talks never get publicized.

Nope, MS bought at least 20% Apple stock before Apple disappeared.

6 hours ago, itsnotabug wrote

ms doesn't buy companies to support their products. it buys companies to destroy them.

Explain this then.

http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/en/us/opalis.aspx

Apple has this reputation as being a good choice for designer types, now imagine if Adobe^H^H^H^H^H Microsoft Creative Suite suddenly only supported Windows.

So obviously there is some serious competitive value to owning Adobe. Now the question is how much is Adobe actually worth to Microsoft.

21 minutes ago, Bass wrote

Apple has this reputation as being a good choice for designer types, now imagine if Adobe^H^H^H^H^H Microsoft Creative Suite suddenly only supported Windows.

Yes! Exactly like Microsoft Office is only available on WIn ... no wait, hang on...

Second that.

Just discovered this thread after posting another on same topic.

Buy it now before Google buys it.

Desktop apps don't mesh well with an Internet company like Google.

Adobe bought Macromedia.

Google bought YouTube.

Google buys Adobe?

If Google does, it would be the fourth time Microsoft passes on an acquisition I thought made sense.

Time will tell