Microsoft vs. Adobe Acrobat

**Richard1** · June 6th, 2006, 09:44 AM

It seems that Microsoft is setting itself up to crush Adobe by allowing Office 2007 documents to be saved in PDF format.

Adobe already allows Mac and Open Office users to save files to PDF. Is Microsoft is being singled out because of one of these reasons?

Sources say Adobe only stands to lose about one percent of it's revenue but that doesn't sound right to me. What do you think?

**3fingersalute** · June 6th, 2006, 10:04 AM

There are so many different freeware "PDF print drivers" available, I don't see how it is going to benefit Adoboe financially, and if they are allowing Mac and Open Office to do it, its only right to allow Microsoft as well.

**Richard1** · June 6th, 2006, 10:12 AM

Some people are saying that Adobe should do it just to bring down the launch of Office 2007.

**Gabriel** · June 6th, 2006, 10:32 AM

Hi,
IMHO PDF can no longer be thought as a propriety format of acrobat.
It is wide spread, and many application does it even without adobe permission (incl open source software). This also applies to Doc format by MS (Open office does this for quite long with not a single beep from MS).

on a side note
I am running Office 2007 Beta - and I must tell you that its a far reaching software developement. I say it clear - for office application there was until today only two major suits 0ffice 97 and Office 200 all the others are mostly cosmetics and did not "invent" anything. The office 2007 suite however is major update to the office family - with lots of power options (not just slick skin).

on another side note:
I think MS should postpone Vista - there is no need for it and it does not give anything that other OS give - if you compare it to Apple OSX, than you will see that the two share many similarities - and I hate to say that apple's has a better operating system - but it does.

Cheers,
Gabriel

**Ferrit** · June 6th, 2006, 11:00 AM

I would say that Adobe if they have allowed Mac and open source to do it then I see no reason why it cant allow MS>
That being said I see a huge financial gain looking to be collected because of the revenues of MS.
If i get them to pay me to allow them to use my stuff WOOOHOOOO

**Richard1** · June 6th, 2006, 11:06 AM

Well Gabe I think that argument could be made about much of the popular software out there including Windows.

How would you feel if you invented it though?

**Gabriel** · June 6th, 2006, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by Richard1

...

How would you feel if you invented it though?

I clearly see this point - But I am against "software patents" and proprietery format. Application should be payed (and should be legit ALWAYS) - but files/formats should be free. you are not seeing any company/institution sue Adobe (or any other company for that matters) for using HDD, filesystem, processor time etc.

What I mean - I don't see MS sue Adobe for using NTFS on Windows machines - this would be a stupid move...

Cheers,
Gabiel

**BOB IROC** · June 6th, 2006, 03:13 PM

Adobe is just mad because this will cut into their sales of Acrobat Elements. I agree that the PDF is becoming a standard format like jpg is to imaging. If office wants to give basic functionality to save documents as PDF then what is the big deal. If you need to major editing then you By Acrobat Pro or something.

**slgrieb** · June 6th, 2006, 06:45 PM

I don't think MS Office support for PDF format will cut into Adobe profits. If anything, heavy PDF users will want the enhanced features Acrobat offers. What cuts into profits is lame and poorly performing software without industry-wide support.

If Adobe really believed Office support would hurt their sales, they shouldn't have created a license giving virtually unlimited use to everyone. Exempting Microsoft was an afterthought, and would only be valid is MS was pushing an MS specific version of PDF. They have one, and will most likely try to advance it over Acrobat. Adobe just gave them the golden chance.

**Larommi** · June 6th, 2006, 10:10 PM

Its their stuff, if they dont want M$ to use it, then M$ should not use it. Who cares if Mac users get to use it. How many mac users are there anyhow?

**Larommi** · June 6th, 2006, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by slgrieb

If Adobe really believed Office support would hurt their sales, they shouldn't have created a license giving virtually unlimited use to everyone.

Difference between reading them and creating them.

**slgrieb** · June 7th, 2006, 01:06 PM

Larommi, Adobe actually has a policy that gives third parties the right to incorporate the ability to create PDF files into their software free of charge. Corel Office and other programs have been able to do this for years. Again, that is the right to CREATE, not just read. Love 'em, hate 'em, why should MS be treated any differently than Corel or whomever, unless they create a competing variant (as they tried to do with Java)? Go to Adobe's web site, read their license agreement, and come back when you have a clue.

**Larommi** · June 7th, 2006, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by slgrieb

Larommi, Adobe actually has a policy that gives third parties the right to incorporate the ability to create PDF files into their software free of charge. Corel Office and other programs have been able to do this for years. Again, that is the right to CREATE, not just read. Love 'em, hate 'em, why should MS be treated any differently than Corel or whomever, unless they create a competing variant (as they tried to do with Java)? Go to Adobe's web site, read their license agreement, and come back when you have a clue.

I have never been able to find programs to do that. I dont know how I missed corel office. I have a copy of that around here somwheres.

And I dont go around to different websites reading license agreements because I don't really care too. Thanks anyhow.

Its still adobes property and if they dont want M$ using too fricken bad. I could not care 2 ****s if adobe sits on the street corner giving it away for free. Its their right to do what they want to do with it.

Besides, we all know what M$ does with software when they get their claws on it. They steal it. Cheat for it. Make it theirs.

I say Adobe is doing the right thing. When they are ready to cough it up they will. Just because they give it to an Office competitor does not entitle Office to use it.

**El_Squid** · June 8th, 2006, 08:27 AM

It is that kind of emotional, illogical thinking that killed the Beta video format, has kept Apple as a second banana PC company and so many other quality products from achieving the success they deserve. Road rage has no place in the business world. If Adobe decides to specifically target MS for exclusion, that is their business. However, it seems like the rest of the business world understands the benefits of the universal exposure MS can give you. It also shows the rest of the business world that Adobe will make poor, emotional decisions, which is not the kind of business partner or service provider you would want to associate with.

**TechZ** · June 11th, 2006, 10:11 AM

One of the more eagerly awaited features of Office 2007, the ability to save files in PDF, will now have to be downloaded separately. The exact reasons for this are unclear but it seems that Microsoft and Adobe were unable to agree on how it should be included. Microsoft will make this feature available as a separate download.

The PDF format has become very popular as it guarantees that a document will look as it is intended, regardless of missing fonts or images on another computer. It has been included on competing products such as OpenOffice and WordPerfect Office for many years. Thankfully, software such as PDF reDirect can be used to make PDF files from Office 2007. This software appears to Windows as a printer and so works with any program.

Full story: ComputerActive

Microsoft Offered Multiple Concessions To Adobe In PDF Dispute: InformationWeek

Atleast we're getting it, albeit via a download.