# Google acquires Nik Software



## Samoreen (Sep 18, 2012)

Which is certainly bad news for the Nik Software plugin users.

I have posted my (humble) opinion about this regrettable decision here. But the discussion can continue here I guess.

Thanks.


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## Victoria Bampton (Sep 19, 2012)

Nik customers certainly don't seem too happy about it.  The silence on the future of the plug-ins is not promising.


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## Samoreen (Sep 19, 2012)

I have sent an email to Nik Software and got the following answer (quoting):

_While I don't have specific feedback on the future development of our products we will continue to provide the high level of product support that you have previously experienced.
_
In other words : "we'll continue to support our products but we don't know which products".

The developers at Nik Software are certainly waiting for Google to tell them on which projects they should work: Androïd apps and gadgets and possibly "cloud oriented" apps. I don't see why Google would be interested in expert level photographic tools. They just want to use the technology for their own needs and products. I really feel abandoned by Nik Software after investing so much money in their tools.


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## LouieSherwin (Sep 19, 2012)

I am a loyal fan of the Nik plugins but if I were Nik and Goggle came to me and offered me a googlizian dollars for my little app I am sure that I grab it and run laughing all the way to the bank. Serious congratulations to them, they hit the jackpot. I couldn't be happier for a great group of folks.

Does this mean that the existing product line is to going to drastically change, almost certainly. I would even imagine that all the existing plugins will be dropped sooner or later. While this is too bad for me and many others we should remember that buying a license only gives us the right to use the current tools not to have them forever. 

This is, I think, a good reminder to all of us not to be lulled into the belief that any company or software is indispensable. Does anyone here remember the Wang word processor? In the 70's this was the mandatory office tool for every attorney in the world. A little app called Wordstar on the brand new IBM PC caused this multi-million dollar company vanish in a few years. 

So given the the vision of Nik and the money of Google who knows what is possible. Will we all have converted to SnapSeed Pro and be discussing the latest release on the SnapSeedForums who knows?

Just my two cents.

-louie


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## Victoria Bampton (Sep 19, 2012)

Now if only Adobe would buy out their plug-ins.....


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## donoreo (Sep 20, 2012)

Maybe Google wants to update Picassa with new features?


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## Replytoken (Sep 21, 2012)

donoreo said:


> Maybe Google wants to update Picassa with new features?



My understanding is that this is somewhat in response to FB buying Instagram.  I'm sure that Google would like something to compete with them on its Android OS.

--Ken


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## RikkFlohr (Sep 21, 2012)

https://plus.google.com/+VicGundotra/posts/RG15e22LHHE from the horse's mouth


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## Replytoken (Sep 22, 2012)

RikkFlohr said:


> https://plus.google.com/+VicGundotra/posts/RG15e22LHHE from the horse's mouth



Yes, and we all know what happened to iView MediaPro when Microsoft got its hands on it!  Corporations say they care, but if it is not their main line of business, I would not be surprised by any radical actions, or inaction, from them.  And then, of course, a bit closer to the subject at hand is Picnik.  Or Motorola Mobility, whose Razr Maxx model seems to have a number of incompatibilities with their very own Android software.  Only time will tell, but I'm not going to hold my breath when it comes to Google. 

--Ken


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## johnbeardy (Sep 22, 2012)

Agreed, what else can the acquiring company say? "We're going to keep the software patents and the people we want, and allow the rest of the business to atrophy or dispose of it after a decent interval"? You're always going to get a positive spin, but even when the intentions were as good as Microsoft's iView acquisition (Google "Microsoft SmartFlow" and join the dots), stuff happens and business plans change. We don't have the advantage of hindsight with this deal, but all these big companies seem intent on finding ways to drive customers into the clouds....


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