Will PDFs Eliminate Paper?

With its popular Acrobat family of products, Adobe Systems already has a head start in this marketplace. Boosting its standing, Adobe last month acquired Accelio, whose electronic-form and document-presentment solutions complement its own offerings. Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen spoke with VARBusiness associate editor Dana Silverstein about the company's plans to work with government bodies.

VB: What are some challenges Adobe faces when working with government?
Chizen: The challenge is making the transition from paper to Web more seamless%85The government has spent a lot of money and resources on many electronic and Web-based activities. The biggest focus is helping it put together business processes based on PDF and Acrobat. Both are uniquely positioned to deal with the electronic world and paper world.

VB: So, the aim is to help the government be more efficient?
Chizen: Yes. [For example, the FDA is making it easy for pharmaceutical companies to submit information in PDF form. When a company submits a drug for approval, there is literally a room full of boxes of paper that is supplied. Instead of searching through boxes and boxes to find information, they can search electronically.

VB: What about filing taxes online?
Chizen: Everybody is connected, [so the IRS thought "How do we make it easier for people to get their tax forms so we don't have to print all of this paper, ship the IRS forms to post offices and have people drive there to get them?" Now they post PDF documents on the Web. There's been more than 1 billion downloads. We will be helping people fill out the information electronically, and [helping the IRS extract and analyze the information electronically, without printing on paper.

VB: What else are you working on?
Chizen: There are a couple of things we are doing. One is a server product that will enable features in the free version of Acrobat reader, such as adding a digital signature. That will be available later this year%85Two, the government workforce is using more portable devices%85so that's why we have Palm Acrobat reader, a pocket PC reader, and why we are working on an operating system that will work with Nokia cell phones.

VB: Is this a space VARs can tap into?
Chizen: We are aggressively working to build tools and programs to help VARs be more successful with our products. We recognize that the combination of Acrobat and Accelio tools will require a more sophisticated [knowledge base.

VB: Are you working with federal, state and local entities?
Chizen: Yes. In Orange County, Calif., many permits are being done electronically through Acrobat. The CDC also started using Acrobat for internal communications.

VB: How has your government focus affected your revenue?
Chizen: We don't break out government revenue from commercial revenue, but our Acrobat business grew something like 41 percent [last year, and a lot of that is attributed to e-government initiatives around the world. As governments become more efficient, they want the businesses they do business with to be more efficient,and that puts a burden on them to also use Acrobat. That is our biggest opportunity.

VB: What makes you passionate about transitioning government from paper to digital?
Chizen: I would take it a step back,we are passionate about providing products and technologies that help to change the way society works and behaves.