Editing Macromedia (section)

===Flash===
Macromedia acquired [[FutureWave Software]], makers of [[FutureSplash Animator]], in January 1997. FutureSplash Animator was an animation tool originally developed for pen-based computing devices. Because of the small size of the FutureSplash Viewer application, it was particularly suited for download over the Internet, where most users, at the time, had low-bandwidth connections. Macromedia renamed Splash to [[Adobe Flash|Macromedia Flash]] and distributed the Flash Player as a free browser [[Plug-in (computing)|plugin]] in order to quickly gain market share.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Coale |first=Kristi |date=January 6, 1997 |title=Macromedia Rides the FutureWave |url=https://www.wired.com/1997/01/macromedia-rides-the-futurewave/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |work=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 6, 1997 |title=Macromedia expands on Net |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/macromedia-expands-on-net/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=CNET |language=en}}</ref> 

By April 1998, the company released the technical specifications for its Flash format so other programs could view and edit its files.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wayner |first=Peter |date=April 15, 1998 |title=Technology Companies Push for Standards on Web Images |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/04/cyber/articles/15graphics.html |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> Burgess took over as CEO in July 1998, after founder [[Bud Colligan]] stepped down. By December, Macromedia was stable again.<ref name=":5" />

Hoping to remain a major player in the increasingly interactive web, Flash Player 6.0 shipped in March 2002 and featured enhanced audio, video, and user interface capabilities. Macromedia also released a bundle of its internet applications in June.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Markoff |first=John |date=2002-04-29 |title=Macromedia Lays Out Strategy For More Uses for Flash Player |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/29/business/macromedia-lays-out-strategy-for-more-uses-for-flash-player.html |access-date=2025-01-05 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

By 2005, more computers worldwide had the Flash Player installed than any other Web media format, including [[Java Platform|Java]], [[QuickTime]], [[RealNetworks]], and [[Windows Media Player]].<ref name="flash2">{{cite web |last=Festa |first=Paul |date=August 2, 2005 |title=Just a Flash in the Web video pan? |url=http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/0,1000000097,39211831,00.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109075110/http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/0,1000000097,39211831,00.htm |archive-date=January 9, 2009 |access-date=December 26, 2008 |publisher=[[ZDNet]] |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> 

As Flash matured, Macromedia's focus shifted from marketing it as a graphics and media tool to promoting it as a Web application platform, adding scripting and data access capabilities to the player while attempting to retain its small footprint.<ref name=":2" />