| FutureWave Software, Inc. | |
| Type: | Private |
| Fate: | Acquired by Macromedia |
| Founder: | Charlie Jackson Jonathan Gay |
| Location: | San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Area Served: | United States |
FutureWave Software, Inc.[1] was a software development company based in San Diego, California. The company was co-founded by Charlie Jackson and Jonathan Gay on January 22, 1993.[2] VP of Marketing was Linda Michelle Alsip, who also came from Silicon Beach Software, then Aldus Corporation.[3] [4] [5] [6]
The company's first product was SmartSketch, a drawing program for the PenPoint OS and EO tablet computer. When pen computing did not take off, SmartSketch was ported to the Microsoft Windows and Macintosh platforms.[7]
As the Internet became more popular, FutureWave realized the potential for a vector-based web animation tool that might challenge Macromedia Shockwave technology.[3] In 1995, FutureWave modified SmartSketch by adding frame-by-frame animation features and re-released it as FutureSplash Animator on Macintosh and Windows.[8] By that time, the company had added a second programmer Robert Tatsumi, artist Adam Grofcsik, and PR specialist Ralph Mittman.[3]
In December 1996, FutureWave was acquired by Macromedia, who renamed the animation editor Macromedia Flash.[8]