Hacker News Reader

It's not really about what software X or Y can do on Linux compared to Adobe softs but wether it can open this or that Adobe format with 0 issues.

The graphic industry is all about formats.

Adobe dominates the publishing and graphic design world(ironicaly because of piracy which didnt destroy Adobe but all the small vendors). So a tool that cant open or edit properly the last psd,ai format version... is almost worthless in a professional environment,

View on HN

So true.

This is not specific to your industry. Microsoft uses the same practices to keep down alternatives to office.

Microsoft sticks with their file formats for backwards compatibility, I'm sure they'd love to start fresh but it's not for the reason of stifling competition.

Microsoft doesn't release documentation on their specifications and constantly adds new ones, which are even harder to understand.

Format specifications are the reason microsoft is where it is today. It is the single business asset that gave them much needed leverage during the 90ties and earlier 2000s to dominate the enterprise market.

Microsoft defended and developed that asset extremely aggressively throughout the years and this policy lead to perceiving MS/Bill Gates as cut-throat businessman.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com