Macromedia: Tussling with Longhorn

Wrestling with Longhorn
But while Flex has the potential to expand not only the remit of Flash technology into complex Web application development territory, Macromedia isn't the only software firm with aspirations beyond its core market. There is a lot of speculation around the Avalon and Sparkle graphical elements of Microsoft's next incarnation of Windows -- Longhorn -- and whether they could lead to Microsoft and Macromedia going head to head in the battle to win the hearts and minds of Web developers.

With Longhorn not due to ship for at least another two years, and Flex still in beta, trying to ascertain if the products will compete is a real exercise in speculation. But it seems that the Sparkle and Avalon elements of Longhorn could bring the two company's closer to butting heads than ever before.

"Having Microsoft come in and announce they are going to make products in this space only validates the market and makes the market larger and clearer," says Hodgman. But while he admits that there are similarities between the two technologies such as that they both have XML languages (MXML in Flex and XAML in Longhorn) and both use service-orientated architecture to communicate with the rest of the enterprise, there are important differences: "Our model is all around small footprint applications that are cross-platform whereas Microsoft's strategy is around creating a new operating system."

No sparkle till 2010
The fact that Longhorn will require a new generation of hardware to be purchased along with the OS, combined with the fact that it won't be released until 2006, means Macromedia has plenty of time to prepare for any competition, says Hodgman. "It could be 2007 or 2008 before this gets absorbed in any big way and then much longer before it's something that is used on the Web."

Although he admits the idea of Microsoft pushing into Marcromedia's space does make the company nervous, Hodgman claims that fundamentally Microsoft is an operating system company, and he doesn't see the Sparkle elements of Longhorn being an issue for till at least 2010.

"There is some of that [nervousness]. You have to be or people would look at you funny, but fundamentally in my mind this is another operating system play. You have to buy Longhorn to get Avalon and Sparkle, and Longhorn requires new hardware. That is a strategy they can afford to take."

As one of the 12 companies permitted to see new Microsoft developments under the terms of the anti-trust settlement with the US Department of Justice, Macromedia has been able to keep a close eye on any competitive developments in Longhorn, says Ramadan. He claims the relationship will be "very synergistic" but admits there will be some competition issues. "There always is with Microsoft -- it doesn't matter who you are. Whether you're Oracle or SAP, they're everywhere. But we have a fabulous relationship -- they distribute Flash with Internet Explorer -- and it will continue to do so."