Adobe Unveils Applications Software Platform

Adobe Systems(ADBE Quote) will release an early version of a new software platform on Monday aimed at extending its reach on the Internet.

Apollo, as the platform is called, allows applications to run on desktops that had run only within a browser.

Although there is some advantage for users -- photos, for example, are easier to edit and prepare for upload via a desktop application -- the real benefit to Adobe is the opportunity to sell more software tools to developers and to get a piece of the action when an Apollo-enabled application is used to buy something or handle other types of transactions. ...