Real World Computing
Photoshop online?
By now you've probably guessed that I've been seriously won over to the concept of Photoshop Express and the potential of online application delivery. Not, I hasten to add, for top-end print-orientated handling, where you'll always need a desktop bitmap editor such as Photoshop CS3. But for the consumer-orientated space, the multiple advantages of universal multimode access, easy non-destructive editing, private and public image sharing, automatic online backup, rolling improvements to functionality and deep integration with other web services, have persuaded me that an RIA can provide a better all-round solution than a desktop app. In short, the future belongs to Express, not Elements.
So am I ready to sign up? In principle yes, but in practice not yet. This is in part due to the current lack of speed and performance, although this should soon improve. The issue of editing functionality is more important, but my main reason is more a general mistrust of online delivery. What am I expected to do if, for whatever reason, I can't connect to my photos? Even when connection itself is fine there can be other online problems, online delivery remains inherently variable, and basically I dislike the idea that my application works more slowly in the evening when the file-sharers are on the prowl.
That's a potentially crippling blow not just to Photoshop Express but, by extension, to all RIAs. It's here, though, that Adobe is hiding the biggest ace up its sleeve, in the shape of the Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR). This new cross-platform technology acts as an extension to Flex-developed Flash applications, which allows them to move out of the browser and its sandbox and onto your local desktop, where they can take advantage of local file storage. In short, you no longer need online access to open your RIA content. Switching between online and offline raises the issue of synchronisation, but that can bring another benefit - online backup is great, but I want to know that I have up-to-date local copies, too.
Working this way really promises the best of both worlds, with the local AIR application giving enhanced offline performance on the desktop while the online RIA provides universal access to core functions. I think it's safe to assume Adobe has spotted this potential and is working on an offline AIR-based version of Photoshop Express, presumably offering extra functions and interactive slider-based adjustment controls. A subscription offering all the advantages of the free service plus this enhanced offline power and unlimited storage would certainly be formidable. Put it all together and Photoshop Express could well come to dominate the world of online photo handling in the same way Photoshop CS now dominates the desktop arena.
