Macromedia and microsoft get chummy

[flashswami]

Oh dear, this does not bode well. Following rumours of MS buying out MM ( http://messages.yahoo.com/bbs?.mm=FN&action=m&board=4688149&tid=macr&sid=4688149&mid=25748&thr=25748&cur=25748&dir=d ), which MM failed to deny, today MM announce this-

http://www.macromedia.com/macromedia/proom/pr/2002/dotnet_framework.html

Guess we all better start learning ASP

[Flash-db]

Ahhhh - Man, that sucks. What a disappointment that would be.  I can't stand how much Macromedia tries to push Cold fusion - Imagine what it would be like if MS owned Macromedia - First I'd feel bad for anyone out their that took the time to learn Cold Fusion (ha ha), second your right mise well start learning ASP, and buy a NT/2000 server, and buy a MS SQL datbase, and buy a subscription to .net, and buy a, and buy a ..... well you get the point.

What are the alternatives,
Adobe GoLive - might be reasonable if they really start working at it.
Ming - might be fun to see who can design the best site with Ming alone, with code instead of a user interface.
?

Right now it's like Macromedia owns the Flash equivalent of HTML - that doesn't really seem right does it?   Now if Microsoft was to own Macromedia it would be like Microsoft owning HTML.  Ahh that's a weird concept.  

Will Flash only be allowed to run on MS Servers - will they disable it if it's run on Unix - Sounds like a crazy concept but you can't run asp on a Unix/Apache server (which makes up 70% of all servers world wide).

[flashswami]

Now if Microsoft was to own Macromedia it would be like Microsoft owning HTML.  Ahh that's a weird concept.

Cripes, now *there's* a thought to turn your stomach  

And just think of all those people who have built their reps/finances on the fact that swf is essentially open-source...what will happen to them? There's *no way* M$ would allow open source under it's roof- big bill is diametrically opposed to the concept.

However, I have had rumblings already that (if this turns out to be true), that a Linux Flash equivalent would be started on. Vive la revolucion

Could all be a load of old cobblers too (crosses fingers/toes/legs/etc)

[AK]

Man, this is indeed sickening, considering the fact that if merger goes ahead and MS pulls off the plug from Flash and PHP integration. However, I think it's highly unlikely as it would turn lots of users off, considering the popularity of PHP and UNIX based servers. If merger indeed goes ahead, with Cold Fusion's future uncertain, I think MS and MM may jointly push ASP based applications, which agains leads towards total domination.

Apple seems to be going the right direction with enormous support for UNIX based applications in OSX, perhaps it might come up with some sort of similar application such as Flash...but again only future holds all the answers.