Adobe experimenting with Acrobat for Linux

By Simon Aughton and Matt Whipp

Posted on 23 Apr 2004 at 15:14

Adobe is planning a Linux version of its Acrobat software, for creating, editing, editing and managing PDFs.

In an interview with PC Magazine, Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen said, 'The first [Linux] application that we'll probably do will be a full version of Acrobat. And that's something we're already experimenting with.'

As for its other applications, such as Photoshop, Chizen said that, 'Right now we're taking a wait-and-see attitude.'

He said that the major factor holding back Adobe and other software developers from producing Linux apps is that Linux is not ready.

'It's not just about a confined desktop system that can run your applications. It has to work within the entire enterprise workflow.' he said, adding, 'Until that infrastructure is in place, I don't envision many corporations switching to Linux on the desktop in a wholesale fashion.'

However, at this week's LinuxUser and Developer Expo in London, SUSE's Chris Schlaeger said that one of the key factors in making Linux attractive to the enterprise was for there to be more Linux versions of key programs. 'We're looking for other applications,' he said.

While he admitted that the GIMP - the widely used imade editing suite for Linux - wasn't up to speed yet for professional image editors, he hinted that applications for 'certain vertical markets are almost already in our hands.'

Red Hat's Jeremy Hogan, community relations manager, suggested at his company's recent world tour that if Adobe don't release a Linux version of apps such as Photoshop, emulation programs such as WINE might jump in and allow you to run a Windows version on Linux anyway.