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MS acquires Creature House, Expression 3

updated 08:30 pm EST, Thu November 6, 2003

MacNN readers note that drawing application with advanced features for both vector illustration and raster paintingL "Downloading and ordering are temporarily suspended due to a revision of the download process. We expect downloading to resume in mid November 2003." Update: A Microsoft spokeperson submitted a brief statement to MacNN: "Microsoft posted a public notice in September 2003 that was in the final stages of an acquisition of Creature House, a small software company based in Hong Kong. Creature House is a privately held company and the terms of the acquisition were not disclosed."

by MacNN Staff

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11/06, 03:38pm | report spam | close Reply |
another company

to feed the hungry beast.

What's next, MS graphics design software? Competing with photoshop? Puuleeze.

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11/06, 04:07pm | report spam | close Reply |
Part of Longhorn

I'm sure the buyout is directly linked to this:

Microsoft reportedly readying a �Flash-killer�

http://www.graphicsiq.com/news/624-GraphicsIQ%20News%20Stories2.html

-zip

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11/06, 04:18pm | report spam | close Reply |
Don't think so.

If it will be as 'good' as Frontpage, Macromedia has nothing to worry about ...

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11/06, 06:43pm | report spam | close Reply |
Don't think so.

But will it be Publisher 'good'?

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11/06, 06:43pm | report spam | close Reply |
Don't think so.

But will it be Publisher 'good'?

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11/06, 07:29pm | report spam | close Reply |
Expression + MS? No way!

I can't believe this. Expression is a very unique, creative, and elegant piece of software - it simply doesn't fit into Microsoft's bloatware portfolio. Get your hands on a retail copy of Expression 3 while you can! It's only $150, but it has an amazing set of features. It lets you paint with Painter-like naturalism, but your brushes are based on vectors, with all the advantages you get from vector drawing (precise manipulation, no pixelation on any scale, small file size). It is (or was?) a truly revolutionary program. I don't dare to imagine what it will become in the awkward hands of MS. They will probably rip it apart, fiddle around with the underlying technology and use some of E3's rudimentary Flash features for a new "Make Flash button" option in Frontpage ... I still don't believe it, but true or not, this is definitely bad news. If CreatureHouse really sold their program, I hope they are rolling in money now. They deserve it.

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11/06, 08:17pm | report spam | close Reply |
Yikes!

I was actually considering a purchase. I'm glad I didn't waste my money!

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11/06, 10:14pm | report spam | close Reply |
Oh Sh*t!

Man, I love Expression, been using it since it first came out under the Fractal Design name. This is just a really ugly development.

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11/06, 11:09pm | report spam | close Reply |
Boom!

And another one bites the dust

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11/06, 11:32pm | report spam | close Reply |
and just yesterday...

after the rumored buyout of google by microsoft, i wrote them an email saying that, considering the beating they are taking in the public image department, maybe they should stop buying everyone out and work together with promising smaller companies or innovative technologies.

guess that email went into the trash heap the second it arrived.

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11/07, 09:46am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: and just yesterday

after the rumored buyout of google by microsoft, i wrote them an email saying that, considering the beating they are taking in the public image department, maybe they should stop buying everyone out and work together with promising smaller companies or innovative technologies.

Are you saying you wrote to MS or creature house? Or are you talking about Apple, also on the "Buy them out and let them languish" spree.

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11/07, 09:51am | report spam | close Reply |
If Microsoft or Apple...

...wanted to buy my company, it would just be a matter of how much and when. And then I'd take some of the money and start another company. Lather, rinse, repeat.

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11/07, 10:27am | report spam | close Reply |
rich

the people who sold that company are RICH, Richer than your wildest dreams, so they don't give a s***! Glad microsoft got it. They need to start buying some more companies.

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11/07, 11:23am | report spam | close Reply |
re: rich

i don't disagree with your first point, but

"...Glad microsoft got it. They need to start buying some more companies."

are you being sarcastic, or just delusional???

p.s. i wrote that "just yesterday" email to microsoft. i mean, they could do so much to leverage google's place in the insutry, and repair some bruised public image, by working WITH google and these other companies, without having to engulf them.

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11/07, 11:46am | report spam | close Reply |
p.s. re: rich

and before we all make comparisons of "apple is no better -- look at everyone they've bought out," there IS a difference. apple at least has some focus to their acquisitions. they bought final cut from macromedia (which mm was just going to let die before it saw the light of day). when that really took off, they saw that they were in a position betweem the hardware, the I/O of firewire, and a new competing software to make strides in the digital video market, and started buying into that market.

MS, on the other hand, just buys in EVERY market, and then figures out how to glom them together afterwards. hotmail's popular? good, buy 'em out. bungie's popular? okay, buy them too. how about google? do they have a price? maybe we can get a drawing application, too. look around for someone small with some cool patents. creature house? great! wave seven zeroes on a check under their noses. and those are just the most notable i remember over the past 5 to 7 years. i'm sure i am forgetting lots of others.

is it the good ol' fashioned "hey, it's their choice to make the transaction... creature house didn't have to sell out." oh, come on. i may be idealistic, but i'm also realistic. i don't fault CH for handing over the technology. they earned it, and maybe they can bring more innovation to the market later if they want to.

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11/07, 11:48am | report spam | close Reply |
another p.s. re: rich

and that word was supposed to be "industry"... my keyboard and brain suck lately. maybe i need more sleep... zzzzzzZZZZzzzz...

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11/07, 01:54pm | report spam | close Reply |
maybe for clip art?

I wonder if they wanted a better clip art format? All the stuff on the creature house website looks like MS clipart from the online gallery.

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MS acquires Creature House, Expression 3

updated 08:30 pm EST, Thu November 6, 2003

another company

Part of Longhorn

Don't think so.

Don't think so.

Don't think so.

Expression + MS? No way!

Yikes!

Oh Sh*t!

Boom!

and just yesterday...

Re: and just yesterday

If Microsoft or Apple...

rich

re: rich

p.s. re: rich

another p.s. re: rich

maybe for clip art?

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MS acquires Creature House, Expression 3

updated 08:30 pm EST, Thu November 6, 2003

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another company

Part of Longhorn

Don't think so.

Don't think so.

Don't think so.

Expression + MS? No way!

Yikes!

Oh Sh*t!

Boom!

and just yesterday...

Re: and just yesterday

If Microsoft or Apple...

rich

re: rich

p.s. re: rich

another p.s. re: rich

maybe for clip art?

Login Here

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