C |Net has published a very interesting interview with Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen. The interview comes on the heels of Adobeis release of the Creative Suite yesterday that included upgrades to Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and GoLive. Touching on such issues as competing with Microsoft, the fate of the e-book and why that format has so far failed to catch on, the interview specifically addresses Adobeis relationship with Apple. From C|Net:
Thereis been some back-and-forth between you and Apple Computer recently--whatis the state of that relationship?
Our relationship with Apple is a great one. My relationship with Steve Jobs continues to be extremely strong--we communicate on a regular basis. Where we compete, weive agreed to compete. Where we partner, we partner aggressively.Even though Appleis cut you out of some markets?
Even though itis cutting us out of some markets, yes. At the end of the day, we both have a vested interest in doing whatis right for the creative professional customer. Our relationship with Apple is like a relationship in any marriage, good or bad. Itis an important relationship for both of us to maintain and make stronger, knowing that there are differences.And sometimes you both need your space?
Thatis correct.
Mr. Chizen was also asked about his companyis role in DMCA-related Elcomsoft case that sparked the first wide-spread debate on free-speech (and other issues) regarding the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. From the interview:
Some of the broadest attention Adobe has gotten in recent years was surrounding the ElcomSoft case . Any regrets about how that was handled?
Looking back with 20/20, I wish that we could have had better communication with ElcomSoft, Dmitry Sklyarov and the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) before the whole thing went public. Iim sorry that we werenit able to do that, because I think we could have resolved a lot of the issues.I think the bigger issue was it was an attack on Adobe, yet all we were trying to do was protect the intellectual property of our customers. Weire not the ones who make the law. There are a lot of important people in the U.S. Congress and the Bush administration who are determining the laws of this country. Once they make a law, weire a corporate citizen; we have an obligation to follow that law. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) is irrelevant at this point in time. It was brought to our attention that somebody was violating the laws of this country. We have an obligation then to notify the correct authorities about whatis going on. That I donit regret.
Thereis a lot more on the subjects we mentioned above in the full interview, and we recommend it as a good read.