FutureSplash Animator

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FutureSplash Animator was a software product for creating vector-based animations. It was developed by FutureWave Software, a small software company whose first product, SmartSketch, was a vector-based drawing program for pen-based computers. In 1995, the company decided that they should add animation capabilities to their product and deploy it over the burgeoning World Wide Web. The only way to create such animations on the web at the time was through the use of Java, but this was quickly replaced with the debut of Netscape's plug-in architecture. The product was released as FutureSplash Animator in May of 1996.

The technology was used on several big-name websites such as Microsoft's MSN, Fox's official The Simpsons website and Disney's Disney Daily Blast. At this point, the company consisted of six people. As Disney also used Macromedia's Shockwave player, this provided a connection to Macromedia, which approached FutureSplash about working together. In December of 1996 Macromedia bought FutureWave, and FutureSplash Animator became Macromedia Flash 1.0.

[edit] See also

• Flash animation