Network Publishing

Adobe's new strategy to help the boundary between Print and Web Publishing to fall.

The idea is to herald the ability to create content that, via ExtensibleMarkupLanguage (XML) and MetaTagging?, will be able to be output, from a single source, to a variety of media. Thus, naturally, reducing development costs (since anything will only have to be made once, not three or more times).

An idea which is an extension to their PostScript technology, and in which their PortableDocumentFormat played an intermittent role; content will create itself to look best depending on the medium it will be used with. via Palm, WirelessApplicationProtocol, web browser, cross platform, print etc.

The idea, while not particularly new in itself, is a demonstration of Adobe's will to remain up to date and not to get caught out again by letting the web slip through it's fingertips. Rather than catch up with the technology as it emerges, it hopes to write the technology, before it emerges (one assumes, at least), thus remaining at least one step ahead of the game.

This makes me wonder, surely there are severe standards implications here. If a company decides to run off with its own 'standard' of these things, that'll ruin the whole thing, won't it? Perhaps then, at least, it will offer some incentive to companies to conform to a specific standard as they will realise that not doing so will reduce their market dramatically.

-- MatthewTheobalds