As we approach the end of 2007 we wanted to ask some of the leading figures in the Photoshop community which books they had found most inspiring and in the case of authors, which books they had written were they most proud of. We got some interesting and quite varied responses. So if you are still stuck for ideas about what to get a Photoshop geek for Christmas, here are some reading tips from the experts.

To keep this article seasonal we didn’t want it to be entirely about Photoshop and digital imaging. We did also ask people to nominate a book for recreational reading. After all, the holiday season is a time for relaxing and leaving work to one side! To help you find out more about the books recommended here we have created links to Amazon.com for all the books featured here.

Ben Willmore

I wrote Photoshop CS3: Up to Speed because it was the book that I personally would look for when a new version of Photoshop is released. As a seasoned Photoshop user, when a new version is released, all I really need to know about is the new stuff and that’s all that the Up to Speed book covers. I wish I could find similar titles for all the other programs I use (like Mac OSX Leopard for instance). I don’t have the patience to search through hundreds upon hundreds of pages to find the new stuff in a bible-sized book or deal with the limited coverage in the more cookbook style books, so I decided to write the book that I thought was missing from the shelf. This short, low priced guide is the fastest way to get “up to speed” when a new version is released.

I enjoy writing the book because if forces me to search through every nook and cranny in Photoshop and discover all the small changes that I would have never noticed if I was working on a book that covered both the old and new features. It also gets me to explore features in much more depth than I have in the past.

Readers seem to love the book and the only complaints I’ve heard relate to the binding on the first printing. Peachpit Press (my publisher) really screwed up on the first batch and they were falling apart in readers hands. Peachpit will replace any of the early copies that fell apart.

I started the book with Photoshop CS2 because that was simply the time when I realized the need for such a book. I wish I would have thought of it much earlier.

I don’t think I’ve made it through any other Photoshop books this year, but here is a recommendation for a non-Photoshop book: The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss. This is the best book I’ve read in about a decade and has been a deep influence in how I’ve changed the structure of my life over the last year or so.

John Nack

I read quite a bit online, but I don’t read too many printed books—at least not cover to cover. So, I’d suggest the following based on what I’ve nibbled this year:

Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations, by Simon Rich
Bite-sized chunks of mordant hilarity, which of course makes it right up my alley. The book is so slight that you can almost read it all while waiting in line to buy it.

I Am America (And So Can You!), by Stephen Colbert
Nobody else makes being asinine so funny. Colbert manages to poke fun without being shrill, and without condescending.

Music for Chameleons, by Truman Capote
I don’t know Capote very well & thus can’t compare the short stories in this collection to his other work, but I found them consistently engrossing.

My American Century, by Studs Terkel
Terkel brings to life the voices of Americans from every walk of life in the last hundred years, putting real texture on the bones of historical events. The narratives (such as they are) can get a little haphazard and pedantic from time to time, but I welcome the insights into so many real lives.

Andrew Rodney

I have not read as many books as I should. But one book I can highly recommend and quite new to the market is The HDRI Handbook: High Dynamic Range Imaging for Photographers and CG Artists by Christian Bloch (published by Rockynook). I’ve had a passing interest in HDR but didn’t know much about it. Chapter 1 of the book is worth the price of admission as it’s an excellent primer covering the fundamentals of HDR, image encoding and the somewhat controversial concepts of dynamic range versus bit depth. I didn’t fully grasp the potential of really high-bit (32 bit encoding), and HDR until I read this well written chapter. I was equally naïve about the various file formats that support HDRI until reading chapter 2. The two chapters greatly aid in supporting the rest of the book which covers both best practices for capturing images for HDR and the various software products available for processing bracketed data. The discussion of true HDR camera systems we may see in the future was fascinating! Bloch does an excellent job of using various analogies to clearly explain some rather complex concepts and his style is humorous and never dry. An entire chapter is devoted to the important task of tone mapping. I thought the images provided throughout the book showed great care in this important process of tone mapping; the images don’t have that odd, HDR look I’ve seen in the past. The examples actually make you excited about the prospect of shooting and processing HDR images. One chapter covered HDR and Panoramic photography. I really hated that chapter. I got so excited about the prospect of trying this out I ended up spending $1500 for a new Carbon Fiber tripod and the entire Really Right Stuff Pano head! Seriously, I’m really looking forward to trying some of the techniques illustrated in this book. The HDRI Handbook is quite up to date (it was just released) so it covered the HDR features in Photoshop CS3 as well as a number of Mac and Windows software products that handle HDR processing. Print quality, illustrations all the images is top notch. At 341 pages, there’s no fluff to be found and I think this was a great primer on a subject I only knew about in passing. An added bonus is a CD-Rom containing tutorials files, many used within the book that I could test until I was savvy enough to produce my own images to play with. There’s a lot of demo software as well. The companion website, http://www.hdrlabs.com/news/index.php should give you an idea of what to expect both from this excellent book and from the exiting new field of HDR digital imaging. The web site like the book has a ton of content and is beautifully designed. Highly recommend.

Julieanne Kost

Window Seat: The Art of Digital Photography and Creative Thinking is a complete view of a creative project from the artist’s perspective. I took my own experience of shooting images out of airplane windows to create a unique seminar in three parts: a manifesto of ways to stay creatively alive; a portfolio of stunning photographs, with commentaries describing my experiences and thought process; and a technical appendix that includes the details of the images were shot, manipulated, and prepared for printing.

In the midst of an experience as inorganic as business travel, this collection of photographs came into existence by a completely organic process. They came about not because I first had the idea to do a whole portfolio of photographs shot out of airplane windows. Instead, I was moved to shoot one photograph, and then another, and then 3,000 more over the course of five or six years.

Here are some of the books that Julieanne also recommends from her website:

The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book – Martin Evening
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers - Scott Kelby
Photoshop Lightroom Adventure - Mikkel Aaland
Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers - Martin Evening
The Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers - Scott Kelby
Adobe Photoshop CS3 Studio Techniques - Ben Willmore
Adobe Photoshop CS3 One-on-One - Deke McClelland
Real World Adobe Photoshop CS3 - David Blatner, Conrad Chavez and Bruce Fraser
Photoshop Masking and Compositing - Katrin Eismann
Real World Color Management - Bruce Fraser
Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy - Bert Monroy
Photoshop Restoration and Retouching, Third Edition – Katrin Eismann

I will also tell you that I just read Crime and Punishment, by Dostoyevsky. I don’t know if people will want to put it on their Christmas list, but here was a quote that I thought was appropriate:
“On the whole, there are extremely few people with new ideas, or who are even the merest bit capable of saying something new – so few that it’s almost strange”.
– Dostoyevsky

Seth Resnick

Without a doubt the two best so far would have to be The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book by Martin Evening and Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS3 by Jeff Schewe and Bruce Fraser. That said, there is also Martin’s Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers and Andrew Rodney’s Color Management for Photographers. I also really enjoyed reading Eric Meola’s books: Last Places on EarthBorn to Run: The Unseen Photos on Bruce Springsteen. There was also Stephen Wilkes’s Ellis Island: Ghosts of Freedom book. and his book called

And then there was The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It gave me a very clear, and vivid sense of the life in Afghanistan without feeling like I was being lectured to by a politician. It was sort of a wake up and open your eyes kind of book. I did know what was coming next but still enjoyed the book.

Martin Evening

I had an extremely busy start to the year. I was in the midst of finishing off first of all The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book, which was followed soon after by the publication of Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers. Of the two, I was particularly proud of the Lightroom book since I had spent so much time preparing and revising it over a 15 month period. I was pleased when it was finished, but of course not long after I had to write the Lightroom 1.1 update!

In between working on my books I did find time to read all the way through Peter Krogh’s The DAM book, which proved incredibly useful, offering professional insights into the art of image management. I certainly learned a lot from it and recommend to others as the book on this subject.

I have always been interested in space exploration and NASA photography. One of my favourite photography books is Full Moon by Michael Lightman. So I am hoping Santa will be kind enough to get me Postcards from Mars: The First Photographer on the Red Planet by Jim Bell. If you think email communication is a phenomenon of the late 20th century, well think again. The Victorians had their own Internet, in the form of ‘The Telegraph’. I did first read Tom Standage’s book The Victorian Internet some years ago, but it cropped up in discussion recently and thought it worth highlighting because it is a fascinating book that reveals many interesting parallels with the way we use and regard the Internet today.

For light reading I would recommend Restless by William Boyd as my favorite novel of the year. It is an ideal book to read over the holidays or if you are on a long journey. Set in England in the seventies, it is a story of a young woman who comes to learn the truth about her mother, Sally and her secret wartime identity. I would rate this as one of William Boyd’s best, alongside Stars and Bars, The Blue Afternoon and Armadillo.

Russell Brown

I actually have not looked a very many books this year. I’m not exactly sure why this is, but it just happened. My only recommendations would have to be Ben Wilmore’s book called Photoshop CS3 Up-To-Speed. Mikel Aaland’s book on the Iceland Photoshop Lightroom Adventure. Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers, by Martin Evening. Finally, Jeff Schewe’s new book: Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Mac Holbert

As a self-taught digital printmaker I am always looking out for new books that explore the subject. I started my company in 1989 – a time when there was no Internet and there were no books on digital anything! I struggled with the new tools and made many mistakes but I eventually learned what I needed to create a successful printmaking studio. I can only imagine the hours I could have saved in the early days if I had had access to in-depth, real-world information on how to scan, process, print, and curate an image! I see many “How To” books but find most of them too general and most often aimed at the neophyte. Although these books serve a purpose for the casual “hobbyist” I tend to seek out books that delve a little deeper into the “business” of printmaking. I have chosen two books that were published in 2007 that fall into this category.

301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques – Andrew Darlow is an encyclopedia of valuable information gleaned not only from his own vast experience but also from many of his friends and fellow digital printmakers. Darlow doles out task specific tips and techniques as he generally covers the creation of a print. He makes you stop and consider your choices and often presents you with possible solutions that you may not have ever considered. This book is best suited for the intermediate to advanced user as much of the information presented may not be meaningful to the uninitiated.

The real value of the information presented in this book is that it is culled from actual users. When a specific substrate or device is discussed it is usually a first person experience. Because of this it more accurately reflects the real concerns and issues of the larger printmaking community not just one individual’s view of the subject. Like any book that covers such a broad subject not all the information is appropriate for every reader. Regardless, I find this to be an invaluable addition to any digital printmakers library. This is time-tested information. It is a resource that I think you’ll find yourself referring to for years to come.

Fine Art Printing for Photographers by Uwe Steinmueller & Juergen Gulbins is a true manual for fine art printmaking. It is aimed at those users who are ready to take their output to the next step. Creating a fine art digital print requires a level of expertise far above that required to create “snapshot” prints on one’s home computer. This book clearly outlines the process and provides invaluable information for the fledgling fine art printmaker. In addition to an overview of different printing technologies, the book covers what I consider to be the most important aspects of fine art digital making: Color Management; Fine Art Digital Workflow; Substrate choices and handling; Specific fine art printers; Printer drivers and RIPs; Print Presentation.

One thing I particularly liked about this book was its length, 226 pages. It’s not the “typical” digital bible that attempts to cover every possibility in 500-600 pages. Fine Art Printing for Photographers is concise and well organized focusing just on the needs of the fine art printer. It provides a solid but flexible foundation that allows it to be customized for the individual needs of the end user. The hidden value in this book is in how it breaks down the steps necessary to improve printmaking skills. It leaves many of the decisions to the individual. It points out in its introduction that experimentation is crucial and is, in most cases, the only way one can truly determine whether or not a particular product or technique is appropriate for one’s unique set of needs. The authors present their approach but never assume that their way is the only way. This book provides an excellent structure for learning how to improve one’s printmaking skills. I highly recommend this book!

Jeff Schewe

Well, I’m very pleased that Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS3 by Bruce Fraser and I is shipping and being well received. But it’s a bittersweet pleasure because I wish Bruce could have seen it. However, I’m very sure that he’s pleased with the results, wherever he’s at. I’m also rather tickled with the cover! It’s my favorite “15 foot mutant penguin” shot. (much better than the unknown soccer shot they were going to use).

As for other books, although not new (it was published last year) I’ve found a new appreciation for Bruce’s Real World Image Sharpening with Adobe Photoshop book. The reason I’ve spent so much time reading it was that earlier this year, I helped fulfill a consulting contract for Bruce working on the sharpening in Camera Raw 4.1 and Lightroom 1.1. Thomas Knoll had wanted to work with Bruce to substantially improve the capture sharpening and while we didn’t get it done for the launch of Lightroom nor Camera Raw 4.0, we did get it done. I must say that my copy of Bruce’s book is well thumbed over and I know for a fact it had a major impact on both Thomas and Mark Hamburg (Lightroom founding engineer) because I saw Mark reading the book while he was coding the sharpening processes. While it’s got Photoshop CS2 in the title, pretty much everything regarding sharpening is the same in Photoshop CS3 with the exception that now, I use Camera Raw 4.3.1 (current) to do all my capture sharpening.

As for other books, well, everybody else has already posted my favs for the Photoshop genre so I’ll add my favorite recreational reading authors. I’m a long time fan of John D. MacDonald, the author of the Travis McGee mysteries. And yes, I re-read them a lot whenever I need my McGee fix. I’m also a fan of Robert B. Parker (primarily the Spenser series). Fortunately, there’s a new one out as of October (so I’m sure to get the hardcover for X-Mas). Anybody who knows me knows that I’m an odd blend of part McGee and part Spencer in my world view.

Katrin Eismann

Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS3 (Real World) by Bruce Fraser and Jeff Schewe
To the point, invaluable information, gets into the essential details and controls every photographer needs to get the most out of ACR.

The HDRI Handbook: High Dynamic Range Imaging for Photographers and CG Artists by Christian Bloch. An excellent book on HDR that has enough technical info for the geek and inspiration for the artist. Excellent illustrations and examples.

Adobe Photoshop CS3: Up to Speed by Ben Willmore. To the point information, excellent overview of all things new in CS3.

Nash Editions: Photography and the Art of Digital Printing by Garrett White. Don’t look for step by steps in this book – look for inspiration and a tremendous overview of excellent art.

Other books:

Rock and Roll by Lynn Goldsmith. Fantastic photography and insights into the music that shaped a generation…or the generation that shaped the music! Makes a great gift for the secret rocker in your life!

Perception and Imaging, Third Edition: Photography–A Way of Seeing by Richard D. Zakia. Photography is about seeing – not moving sliders around. Dr Z’s book is the book on perception – both visual and psychological.

Source: The Washington Times

“Love Soup,” a quirky new romantic sitcom from Britain, debuts Tuesdays at 10:00PM Eastern on BBC America.

The comedy, starring Tamsin Grieg and Michael Landes, explores the age-old question of whether there is only one person out there perfect for you — and what do you do until you meet that person?

Miss Grieg (from the long-running BBC radio series “The Archers”) is Alice Chenery, a perfume-counter manager in a London department store who seems to attract nothing but weirdos. Gil Raymond (Mr. Landes,the first Jimmy Olsen on “Lois & Clark” and a guest star on “CSI”) is an American comedy writer transplanted to the English countryside who keeps getting dumped. They have one thing in common — an odd take on life.

In the strong first episode, Alice remarks that the name of her real estate agent’s company, Rush & Butcher, sounds like one of Stalin’s death camps. “I suppose everyone says that,” she says to her agent, who looks at her with a mixture of puzzlement and disgust. The only person who wouldn’t, in all probability, is Gil. The two would make a great match, but they run in completely different circles. Will they ever meet? If they do, will they recognize how perfect they are for each other?

Trudie Styler — the actress wife of rock star Sting — steals the show as Gil’s neighbor, Irene, a woman who leaves her husband after a slip by Gil reveals her hubby’s extramarital affair. Irene’s digital sleight of hand — she replaces her husband with Gil in a series of cozy snapshots via Photoshop — should make for an amusingly awkward relationship in future episodes.

Is this significant? I don’t know. All I know is that last month, on the 5th of April, I missed the North American time/date designation of 01:02:03 04.05.06 so I didn’t want to miss this opportunity to mention it to my European friends.

He stole intimate glimpses of his subjects through windows and the fences of swimming pools as well as in the streets, sometimes finding himself in trouble with the police. ,He would often draw intricately on each print in pencil embellishing the images with his lines or reworking them in other ways, Tichý would also sometimes include a card frame around the prints and decorate those too.

Untitled
Unique vintage gelatin silver print in artists own card frame
1950-1980

The work which might to the casual viewer, simply appear to be intrusive voyeurism, takes on a melancholic and poetic quality. They are exquisitely produced small objects of obsession, which have no equal. He produced work – not for others, but solely for himself without any regard for exhibiting or selling the work to others. Tichý’s pictures were only known to a few until last July, where he won the ‘New Discovery Award’ at Arles. An exhibition of his work was also shown at the Kunsthaus Zûrih in September 2005, and was one of the most curious and perhaps controversial photographic events of 2005.

Tichý was born in 1926 in what is now the Czech Republic and studied painting at the Academy of Art in Prague until his arrest. We are delighted to be able to offer these unique works for sale in the UK and will be holding a show of Tichý work in May 2006. This exhibition will coincide with a show of works by Jacques Henri Lartigue of prints from his seminal 1962 MOMA show.

See more work at the gallery link for Miroslav Tichy

CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif. (AP) — The artists discovered this village in the early 1900s and put up wooden cottages where they could paint the shoreline and the coastal pines. Then the art dealers arrived, with their silky scarves, their flute-filled soundtracks and their airy galleries.

Now, some civic leaders say, Carmel-by-the-Sea has a problem many communities probably did not even know existed: too much art.

Galleries selling everything from Impressionist landscapes to butterfly-shaped baubles and cartoon dog portraits account for one of every three businesses along Carmel’s stone walkways. In all, 105 stores sell art in this town of about 4,100 residents. For a while, the city was approving a new gallery every week.

“People are upset. They can’t go to a movie theater. They can’t buy socks in this town,” said Ross Arnold, owner of the Carmel Drug Store, the only shop of its kind. “You walk down the street and it’s gallery, gallery, jewelry store, gallery, gallery.”

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The Blue Boar Inn is a four star Inn and Restaurant situated on the edge of the beautiful Heber Valley in the small town of Midway, Utah. Perhaps this is the ultimate Photoshop destination in Utah!

From the Blue Boar Inn web site;

About an hour’s drive from the Salt Lake City airport, The Inn is in a quiet, serene location, and yet close to the night-life in Park City. Located just 20 minutes from the world renowned ski resorts of Park City, Deer Valley, and Sundance, the Inn offers the advantages of a peaceful atmosphere with the close proximity to some of the best outdoor activities in the world.

Each of the 14 rooms of the Inn are exquisitely, and uniquely decorated, with fireplaces, full bathrooms, TV, and telephones in each room.

The restaurant has won numerous awards over the years. You can check out the sample menu (specials change daily).

Room rates vary from $150 to $295 including breakfast and they also have a relaxing pub named Tuffle Hollow.

Truffle Hollow is a wonderful walnut panelled room, reminiscent of an English pub that can be used by our guests to relax and enjoy the view or the old-world ambiance of our Utah inn. Whether for brunch, lunch or dinner, this intimate room can be used for private parties or business meetings. It includes an audio system and a drop-down flat panel television, charming french bistro tables and a 16th century bar.

This isn’t the first “Best of State” award. The inn has won previously for;
1. Best Bed and Breakfast
2. Best European Cuisine.
3. Best Place for a Wedding.

The Blue Boar Inn
1235 Warm Springs Road
Midway, Utah 84049

Phone: 435 654-1400
Toll Free: 888 650-1400
Fax: 435 654-6459
e-mail: Innkeeper@theblueboarinn.com
Website: http://www.theblueboarinn.com

A few weeks ago, the nation’s arts critics descended on Los Angeles and, as critics are wont to do, started complaining.

These days, they are miffed that critics have diminished influence. When they write about how horrible a play is, the play no longer shuts down. When they write about how revolutionary a new sculptor is, said sculptor’s mug doesn’t immediately wind up on the cover of Time magazine.

A big reason for the power shift? The Internet has helped make everyone a critic (no matter how uninformed) — in addition to helping make everyone a participant (no matter how untalented).

So, imagine what arts critics might think now that L.A. is about to play host to the DeviantArt Summit.

Next week’s first summit aims to gather the thousands of artists who sell their works through DeviantArt.com. For two days, artists who know one another only by screen names will be able to rub elbows with one another and take Photoshop classes and get other instruction intended to improve their art or craft or whatever anyone wants to call it.

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Raw Wars – Episode 7, Empire Resurrection

Darth Vader having been vanquished, the empire retreats and the rebels establish a new Republic. However, in a dark corner of the galaxy a new threat is growing in the shape of Darth Nikon intent on making the Empire the force that it once was.

Scene 1
General Lackey : “Darth Nikon, we have prepared the encryption as you requested. Would you like us to release it now?”

Darth Nikon: “Yes. Once I have encrypted the RAW then the Republic will be totally under my control. We can rebuild the Empire and stifle any hope of democracy .”

General Lackey: “As you wish my lord; and the plans for tax and licensing?”

Darth Nikon: “No, keep that secret for the time being. First I need to crush the openRAW alliance. Then power will be all mine.”

One of the consoles starts bleeping and flashing.

Console Lackey: “Lord Vader, we have identified the rebel base. It is somewhere on the west coast of America.”

Darth Nikon: “Good. Transmit the co-ordinates to the PR group and prepare to jump to hyper drive.”

Scene 2
In their secret rebel hide out somewhere not too far from Area-51, Dan Skywalker and Rob2D2 are working on ways around Darth Nikon’s diabolical scheme.

Rob2D2: “Bleep, bloop, bleep, bleep”.

Dan Skywalker: “Try tuning up the control panel Rob2, we need to get more power out of the xGrid.”

One of the Mac units sparks and goes up in smoke.

Dan Skywalker: “Not again, every time we try to process one of these Nikon files it just seems to take forever and then the xGrid blows. Perhaps when we get the new software update from Princess Adobe we will have more success.”

Rob2D2: “Bloopity bloop bloop”

Dan Skywalker: “Yes perhaps the key from General Google was faulty, but we have no choice at the moment.”

The ethereal voice of Obi-Wienke-Kenobi resonates around the room.

Obi-Wienke-Kenobi: “Dan, Dan, do you feel the disturbance in the RAW? The Empire is getting stronger again.”

Dan Skywalker: “Ben, yes I feel it to. It would appear that the Empire is trying to reassert its control over our freedoms.”

Obi-Wienke-Kenobi: “You must travel to the High Sierras to complete your training, only then will you be ready to face Darth Nikon.”

Dan Skywalker: “But Ben, I AM ready. Surely my training against Darth Canon has prepared me for every eventuality.”

Obi-Wienke-Kenobi: “Darth Canon was a worthy adversary, but Darth Nikon’s power continues to grow stronger. Go to the High Sierra’s and find Yoda’s brother, RikeMan.”

Dan Skywalker: “Ok Ben. But I am sure that I am ready.”

Obi-Wienke-Kenobi: “May the RAW be with you”.

Dan and Rob2 start packing their new equipment ready to set off to find RikeMan.

Scene3
The Empires PR group has just dropped out of hyper drive and is hot in pursuit of the renegade Thom Solo.

Schewebacca: “Grunt, grawh, grrrrooowwwl.”

Thom Solo: “OK Schewee, I see them. Raise the rear deflector shield and head for that asteroid belt over there.”

Princess Adobe: “Great move Thom! Did you really have to rattle the Empires cage by publicly drawing attention to their latest scheme.”

Thom Solo: “Hey, your Royal Highness. How was I to know that everyone was going to get so worked up about it?”.

Schewebacca: “Grooowwwn, graaaaawwwl.”

Thom Solo: “Yeh Schewee, they got us in the tractor beam. I guess we will be facing those LawTroopers again.”

Thom Solo’s ship is slowly drawn into the docking bay of Darth Nikon’s battlecruiser. Thom Solo, Schewebacca, and Princess Adobe are brought up before Darth Nikon.

Darth Nikon: “Your software is useless Princess Adobe against the might of the Empire. Once my encryption is in place I shall restore the Empire to its rightful glory.”

Princess Adobe: “You will never crush the OpenRAW alliance. Even now we have rebels decrypting your files.”

Darth Nikon: “Such threats don’t bother me. Even now my LawTroopers are tracking down your rebels and exterminating them.”

Darth Nikon to LawTrooper: “Lock them up. I will deal with them later.”

Darth Nikon to himself: “The RAW is strong in this one, perhaps if I can cripple her software then success will surely be mine.

Dum dum dum dum-di-dum dum-di-dum…the saga continues.

Usual Disclaimer: All the characters in this text are purely fictional and bear no relationship to anyone alive, dead, nearly dead or not yet born. Any relationship to actual facts and persons is purely co-incidental and, therefore, must be a product of your imagination.

Please feel free to continue this story, sticking to the themes and characters as laid out above.
————–
David Plummer

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Editor’s Note: in the midst of all the controversy recently unleashed, it’s useful to maintain one’s sense of humor. We thank DiaAzul (aka David Plummer) for keeping his! Even Thomas Knoll has posted to the thread.

Well, as you probably have probably heard by now, Macromedia and Adobe announced this morning that our companies are combining. If you are like me, then I am sure there are a ton of questions going through your head. We have put up a mini site with more information, but I wanted to make a quick post to put some more context around what is happening.

First, Macromedia and Adobe have announced that we are combining into a single company. However, and this is a very important point, this has not occurred yet, and will not occur until approved by stockholders and government regulators. This is an important point, because during this period, there will be some legal constraints on what I (and other Macromedia employees) can and can’t speak about in public (see the end of the post for an example). So, please keep this in mind if you ask a question and are referred to the FAQ or web site.

So, with that in mind, I can’t actually go into too many details. Day to day work at Macromedia will continue on as it has been. We are still working on 8ball, Maelstrom and everything else we have been working on. We are still planning to ship sometime in the second half of this year. We are still committed to Flash as a development platform (probably more than ever now). We are still committed to our server products, such as ColdFusion (7 has been incredibly successful) and Flex.

How will this affect the Macromedia culture? We have worked hard over the past couple of years to get closer to you, communicate more directly and more often. We have tons of employees participating in the community, whether it be through mailing lists, forums, weblogs or contributing code. I think that it is this culture of openness and participation that has made us so successful over the past couple of years. This is not going to change. Indeed, I think that this culture of openness and participation is one of the reasons that Adobe was interested in bringing our companies closer together.

We are going to work hard to make sure that everything moves forward smoothly, but there are sure to be some bumps along the way. However, I am confident that as long as we continue to be open, and communicate clearly we will all come out of this in a much stronger position. We will able to compete more effectively, innovate more, and be more responsive than we would have been able to do on our own.

How do I feel about this personally? Well, of course, I was a little surprised at first. But, now that I have had some time to think about it for a while, I am actually quite excited. I strongly believe in the potential of Flash as a cross-platform solution for deploying rich content and applications (I can’t stress the cross-platform part of that enough). Together, the combined company will have the resources on our own to make the platform successful on a larger scale. So, personally, I am excited about this because, after the combination closes, Flash as a platform will be driven by a much, much larger company (combined we would be over $2 billion a year in revenue), with a lot more resources at its disposal. I think it makes it much more likely that Flash will play a significant role as the next generation application / content platform (one that is ubiquitous and cross platform).

I think it makes things very interesting…

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Finding exhaustive (exhausting?) coverage of the media’s top stories du jour is a snap. Finding articles that are interesting and important to you, however, can take hours.

The good news is that publishers and software developers are teaming up to deliver timely articles of your choosing to your virtual doorstep — and you don’t even have to tip the delivery boy. Newsreaders (no, not Peter Jennings) can avoid the sordid and salacious headlines (unless that’s what you’re into) and maximize your news trawl time.

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(Off Topic, but useful info about Newsreaders, RSS or XML feeds)

This is a test. . .it’s only a test. . .
If, this were a real emergancy, you would be out of luck!

Actually, this is just a placeholder to make sure all the content categories show.

You can quit reading now. . .

Seriously, YOU CAN QUIT READING NOW!