Adobe's Outgoing Chief Talks Of Internet Product Lineup, Hosting Matters

Adobe Systems Inc. President and Chairman of the Board Charles Geschke took time during his busy schedule at Seybold Boston 2000 this week to meet with Senior Editor Paula Rooney. Geschke, founder of Adobe, officially will retire from his position March 31 after 17 years at the company. While Adobe Chief Executive John Warnock will serve as interim president, Geschke will remain chairman and a key investor.

Adobe's founder will take his leave on a good note as the company coffers overflow and company developers prep an innovative line of Internet software titles that will ship during the first half of the year.

Adobe, the only ISV in the inner circle of partners tapped to help Microsoft Corp. launch Windows 2000 next week, is uniquely positioned to ride high on the Internet wave and will continue to do so, Geschke predicted, noting that the company's closing stock price Tuesday -- $87 -- is seven times what it was in August 1998.

"Our business is growing. We've gotten to a level of profitability at the high end and we have also demonstrated a whole collection of new products coming to market," Geschke said. "And much of it is fueled by the Web. Nearly half of our billion [dollars] in revenue comes from customers who are primarily using our technology on the Web. It makes us by far the largest tool supplier for Web page and Web site creation and communication. The fact that the Web is exploding has put a significant upside ramp in our business."

San Jose, Calif.-based Adobe demonstrated, for example, an upcoming Web graphics and animation title tentatively dubbed Live Motion that will allow end users to bring static graphics to life on the Internet.

Adobe also previewed a new e-commerce solution for publishers, Adobe PDF Merchant, that demonstrates how content can be purchased on the Web and delivered to any PC or Windows CE/Palm OS device. Another upcoming software application, Adobe InProduction, is a solution for managing Adobe's popular PDF files through print production workflow.

In addition, the company gave a sneak peak of a future asset-management technology that addresses problems publishers face when attempting to leverage content across the Web and in print, as well as the integration of content created in Adobe PhotoShop and Illustrator in the next version of the company's GoLive and InDesign Web products.

A beloved figure in the eyes of the professional designers and artists, Geschke said he doesn't envision hosting applications for rental use but noted Adobe will offer fee-based services over the Internet such as converting Microsoft Word or Excel files into PDF format and hosting artists' portfolios over the Internet to help them grow their businesses. "We'll be the clearinghouse for graphic artists," said Geschke, adding that Adobe is having success with one hosted application: an Internet-based Web banner creation tool for advertisers.

Geschke, who will fulfill his last obligation to Adobe by giving a talk to a PhotoShop users' group in Orlando, Fla., at the end of March, said he is making no major commitments for the rest of 2000 other than to his family. His swan song, in appropriate fashion: "It's been a good run."- CRN