Ruth Ann S. Basnillo

SYSANAL

O0A

Charles Geschke

Cofounder, Adobe Systems

            The cofounders of Adobe Systems were Charles Geschke and John Warnock. The name Adobe was got from the name Adobe Creek which runs behind Charles’ house.

            The main reason they started working on this startup was because of the slow commercialization of the product if they pursue working on it for Xerox Parc. They knew that their idea would be very old news if they didn’t start it as soon as possible.

            The particular problem this startup encountered was when Steve Jobs, the primary Adobe champion inside Apple, left and was taken over by Jean – Louis Gassee, who never got along well with Adobe. When Gassee started taking over, Apple got tired of paying Adobe royalties for the LaserWriter the latter was making for them. The products offered by Adobe Systems were improvements of existing systems.  It’s a product wherein different printers with different speeds, characteristics, and colors would be integrated so that computers could talk to any printer.

            People used the services of Adobe Systems because it has been very hard for them before to interface between the computer and the printer. The thing that people wanted was the service or product wherein different printers with different speeds, characteristics, and colors would be integrated so that computers could talk to any printers.

            It had an impact in the history of the Internet in a way that different ideas from the Internet could be printed after having read and copied those. This startup which is initially called Interpress became the precursor of PostScript, wherein the idea would be network of printers and computers would be built and those could all talk to one another.

            What’s unique about their startup was that it offered something where different printers and different computers interface each other. The startup was not offered before they did it but it was something done before by Apple’s Development team.

            The existing system before this was a system wherein computers and printers with the same brand would be the ones able to talk to each other.

            If I were in the cofounder’s shoes, I would have also listened to the suggestions of people interested with any product because customers sometimes dictate what your startup really is. I would have also done what they have done when Xerox told them that it will take seven years and up to commercialize their idea.

            The startup I think would have not been possible in a Third World Country because of the lack of resources and knowledge about Information Technology. The peculiar characteristic that the place where the startup was conceives was that the place consists of people very interested in exploring systems and eager to improve those.

10 THINGS I DIDN’T KNOW

1. After reading the case study, I learned that Adobe Systems first developed project was a language called Interpress which allowed any computer to talk to any printers. Before, I only knew that the computer would only talk to a printer with the same brand.

2. After reading the case study, I learned that the first technology developed at Adobe Systems was PostScript. Before, I have heard about Adobe Systems but I have not heard anything about PostScript.

3. After reading the case study, I learned that the cofounder of Adobe Systems initially is from Xerox Parc. Before, I have heard about Xerox and the thing that would come out of my mind would be the photocopying machine product.

4. After reading the case study, I learned that Adobe Systems partnered with Apple Computer and designed laser printer for them. Before, I have heard about Apple Computer and thought that they were the ones who developed this technology.

5. After reading the case study, I learned that the idea for Desktop Publishing was got from John Scull, marketing guy at Apple. Before, I have read that Apple had a problem of being like a bean bag chair wherein the three levels of management need to be pushed up and down to move when John Scull led it.

6. After reading the case study, I learned that Interpress was not really a programming language, unlike PostScript, but a little more static. Before, I never knew about Interpress.

7. After reading the case study, I learned that Interpress was actually made for Xerox Parc. Before, I thought that Xerox was only about photocopying.

8. After reading the case study, I learned that HP was the competitor of Adobe Systems with the LaserJet. Before, I didn’t know that Adobe Systems also make that product.

9. After reading the case study, I learned that Chales Geschke and John Warnock were the cofounders of Adobe Systems. Before, I didn’t know their names.

10. After reading the case study, I learned that Xerox Parc takes seven years and up before commercializing a product. Before, I thought that years like that is the fastest commercialization of products.