Adobe Launches Apollo

Today, Adobe has launched their first developer preview version of the Apollo toolset. This toolset will allow web developers to create desktop apps which can interact with any web page on the net.

If you have yet to hear about Apollo, it is a cross-platform runtime library. Apollo will allow for developers to create apps by the means of HTML, JavaScript, and Flash. This would allow for apps to be installed on machines simply buy clicking a download link, then installing to the users desktop. After the install the user can then access the program simply by clicking on the icon on their desktop.

The advantage of this new runtime library tech which Apollo brings is that the application can be ran without internet access. The applications can also connect to web sites adding interactivity, with the user's own PC, and other PCs.

Perhaps, the greatest aspect of this is that Adobe is giving away the runtime free of charge. Meaning more third-party software may come to be seen in the realm of PCs and mobile devices. This new technology differs from its competition because it works on multiple platforms, unlike Microsoft's Windows Presentation Foundation software. Apollo may have a great effect on third-party software as well as for commercial software such as Adobe's "Online Photoshop". All in all, this is a great innovation in software and I can't wait to see what is to come, and I'm sure you'll be as impressed as I.
[Ars Technica]