Comments on: The future for Acrobat.com – and for the office? http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2009/06/15/the-future-for-acrobat-com/ Blogging in the real world Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:52:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Google and Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) | PC Pro blog http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2009/06/15/the-future-for-acrobat-com/comment-page-1/#comment-104107 Google and Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) | PC Pro blog Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:09:18 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/?p=5869#comment-104107 [...] but, in design terms, this lowest common denominator approach proves disastrous. For example in a comparison between the barebones HTML-based Google Docs and the slick Flash-based Acrobat.com, I’d [...] [...] but, in design terms, this lowest common denominator approach proves disastrous. For example in a comparison between the barebones HTML-based Google Docs and the slick Flash-based Acrobat.com, I’d [...]

]]> By: Tom Arah http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2009/06/15/the-future-for-acrobat-com/comment-page-1/#comment-77935 Tom Arah Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:00:57 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/?p=5869#comment-77935 I like the financial analogy - and that's why I think offline AIR-based access is so important. The idea of a central virtual bank is a lot more attractive if you also get to keep your money in your back pocket. I'd say Microsoft Live Mesh is the best current example of how the cloud can work alongside the local meaning the latest version of your documents are just there to hand however you want to access them. As for what you say about collaboration I think some poeple want the live collaboration on original content creation and others want more traditional pdf-style annotation and approval of a fixed document that one person is in charge of. Acrobat.com can do both and as soon as you're talking about collaborating with more than one person I think the central hosted approach makes more sense than email. I like the financial analogy – and that’s why I think offline AIR-based access is so important. The idea of a central virtual bank is a lot more attractive if you also get to keep your money in your back pocket. I’d say Microsoft Live Mesh is the best current example of how the cloud can work alongside the local meaning the latest version of your documents are just there to hand however you want to access them.

As for what you say about collaboration I think some poeple want the live collaboration on original content creation and others want more traditional pdf-style annotation and approval of a fixed document that one person is in charge of. Acrobat.com can do both and as soon as you’re talking about collaborating with more than one person I think the central hosted approach makes more sense than email.

]]> By: Peter McIntyre http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2009/06/15/the-future-for-acrobat-com/comment-page-1/#comment-77902 Peter McIntyre Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:08:14 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/?p=5869#comment-77902 If "the move to cloud-based computing is a 'mega trend'", it is rather in the way that the move to subprime mortages was a megatrend in the financial markets. There is no such place as the cloud. It is all on someone (else's) hard disk, subject to their laws and regulations etc. It might be useful to use such services when away from a computer with all the software loaded, but otherwise, I cannot see why there is an advantage (does anyone not have a word processor on their computer?) Secondly, I am skeptical about how people actually collaborate. As a writer and an editor I do not accept that documents can be bolted together on an assembly line. Someone has to take responsibility for the overall document,words and design, and the traditional email flow of versions is actually a more natural way to work. This is an interactive site on which we can leave comments. It would be quite different if we could alter Tom Arah's (generally excellent) articles at will without his approval. Seems like there is lots of woolly thinking in the clouds. If “the move to cloud-based computing is a ‘mega trend’”, it is rather in the way that the move to subprime mortages was a megatrend in the financial markets. There is no such place as the cloud. It is all on someone (else’s) hard disk, subject to their laws and regulations etc. It might be useful to use such services when away from a computer with all the software loaded, but otherwise, I cannot see why there is an advantage (does anyone not have a word processor on their computer?)
Secondly, I am skeptical about how people actually collaborate. As a writer and an editor I do not accept that documents can be bolted together on an assembly line. Someone has to take responsibility for the overall document,words and design, and the traditional email flow of versions is actually a more natural way to work.
This is an interactive site on which we can leave comments. It would be quite different if we could alter Tom Arah’s (generally excellent) articles at will without his approval. Seems like there is lots of woolly thinking in the clouds.

]]> By: Tom Arah http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2009/06/15/the-future-for-acrobat-com/comment-page-1/#comment-77887 Tom Arah Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:16:54 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/?p=5869#comment-77887 Hi Clive. Not sure if Adobe can ensure better reliability for paying subscribers, but you'd have to hope so and Erik did talk about terms of service guarantees (but no details). Regarding targeting education (for free) I'd say that was an excellent idea - get them early. But clearly the first target market will be Adobe's home ground: the designer. And (to Chris) this is where I think Acrobat.com does have a huge "selling proposition", over and above the overall design and experience (which shouldn't be dismissed). The clue is in the name. Other sites can let you collaborate on the early stages of producing text, numbers and presentations but, via PDF, Acrobat.com can let you collaborate on any project and throughout the workflow right up to final delivery. Hi Clive. Not sure if Adobe can ensure better reliability for paying subscribers, but you’d have to hope so and Erik did talk about terms of service guarantees (but no details).

Regarding targeting education (for free) I’d say that was an excellent idea – get them early. But clearly the first target market will be Adobe’s home ground: the designer.

And (to Chris) this is where I think Acrobat.com does have a huge “selling proposition”, over and above the overall design and experience (which shouldn’t be dismissed). The clue is in the name. Other sites can let you collaborate on the early stages of producing text, numbers and presentations but, via PDF, Acrobat.com can let you collaborate on any project and throughout the workflow right up to final delivery.

]]> By: Clive Portman http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2009/06/15/the-future-for-acrobat-com/comment-page-1/#comment-77833 Clive Portman Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:26:47 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/?p=5869#comment-77833 I've been using the Buzzword service regularly with a class of school children, as an alternative to Word. We're still finding document content occasionally goes missing, crashes within Flash, and problems when the connection grinds to a halt. There's no way I could justify to my boss that we should pay for it, when these problems still exist, but what about these types of apps being tailored to the education sector? We're being told to make use of new technology, yet what we're being given by the the Local Authorities isn't up to the job and so we're crying out for something like Acrobat.com. Any thoughts? I’ve been using the Buzzword service regularly with a class of school children, as an alternative to Word. We’re still finding document content occasionally goes missing, crashes within Flash, and problems when the connection grinds to a halt. There’s no way I could justify to my boss that we should pay for it, when these problems still exist, but what about these types of apps being tailored to the education sector?

We’re being told to make use of new technology, yet what we’re being given by the the Local Authorities isn’t up to the job and so we’re crying out for something like Acrobat.com.

Any thoughts?

]]> By: Chris http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2009/06/15/the-future-for-acrobat-com/comment-page-1/#comment-76801 Chris Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:14:11 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/?p=5869#comment-76801 Only sipping from the Adobe koolaid could convince me that this service is worth paying for. With a multitude of ways of sharing documents and free solutions for creating PDFs Adobe are up against severe competition (unlike some of their other businesses). Apart from the eye-candy I have yet to see the prime selling proposition from Acrobat.com. As you say yourself the collaboration tools are pretty basic at the moment. With Google shortly to offer 'Wave' how can Adobe expect to get away with charging subscriptions? (Particularly the absurd rates quoted above). And on the other hand they need to provide a lot more assurances about QoS and security if they are pitching to corporate customers. It clearly isn't being targeted at the right market. Only sipping from the Adobe koolaid could convince me that this service is worth paying for. With a multitude of ways of sharing documents and free solutions for creating PDFs Adobe are up against severe competition (unlike some of their other businesses). Apart from the eye-candy I have yet to see the prime selling proposition from Acrobat.com. As you say yourself the collaboration tools are pretty basic at the moment. With Google shortly to offer ‘Wave’ how can Adobe expect to get away with charging subscriptions? (Particularly the absurd rates quoted above). And on the other hand they need to provide a lot more assurances about QoS and security if they are pitching to corporate customers. It clearly isn’t being targeted at the right market.

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