Google acquires Nik Software

hmm ... it'll probably "update" EFX etc to report back to the Google Kremlin just what you are taking pictures of, and where, and what soap you use and what kind of dog/cat you own ... not that you're just a target market object to Google, oh no ... definitely not

"don't be evil" my arse ...
 
hmm ... it'll probably "update" EFX etc to report back to the Google Kremlin just what you are taking pictures of, and where, and what soap you use and what kind of dog/cat you own ... not that you're just a target market object to Google, oh no ... definitely not

"don't be evil" my arse ...

hehe... and ads may start to appear with the Silver Efex Pro preset menus....
 
Adobe should have bought Nik when it was offered. I don't like social media moguls buying up the software though admittedly Google is a bit more.
 
I've had time to think about this, and I am fairly certain we will see the Nik suite gradually disappear, Snapseed absorbed (but mutilated by the absorption process) and perhaps a version for Android users if they are really lucky. Google acquired Sparrow Mail (gone) and Picknik (which I understand is a shadow of its former self) and one cant help considering what happens, usually, when big companies swallow up smaller ones.

There's plenty of evidence to suggest that we will be needing to find a new plugin source, once Nik goes, because you can bet there wont be any more development of the existing suite. I will be very happy to be proven wrong.
 
It really does not make sense that Google would allow the Nik suite to fall away (though you may be right Sue). It is a great resource used by both amateur and pro photographers the world over. Nikon depends on it too. Maybe Google simply does not care about that. All they wanted was an "app" to compete against Facebook/Instagram. Throw the baby out and keep a little of the bathwater.
 
I'm not hopeful, Andrew. I keep thinking about what happened to Stanza (my ebook reader app of choice) when Amazon swallowed that and killed it off so Kindle competition would not be so great (it didnt work, and Stanza is still working albeit in a crippled way)... when all they needed to do to get Kindle even better was to absorb the best of Stanza into it. But no... apparently Kindle is better (it isnt).

Sparrow was a very popular alternative to mail.app for Apple users.. and I think many hoped that the best of it would be absorbed into the google suite, or perhaps even marketed as a google offline email client, but nope.

I don't know much about piknik but from old users I gather thats been crippled beyond redemption.

Don't hold yer breath, methinks.
 
Andrew - It's a great resource for those who use it ... But I really can't imagine that those numbers are large enough to generate the size of income stream google will care about.
Those of us who want more than can be done with the cd that came in the box with the camera are really quite few in number ... but we tend to forget that because we gather on forums like this and it feels like a crowd.
 
Sparrow was a very popular alternative to mail.app for Apple users.. and I think many hoped that the best of it would be absorbed into the google suite, or perhaps even marketed as a google offline email client, but nope.

I remember that. It was all over the design blogs, everyone was upset about it.
 
Andrew - It's a great resource for those who use it ... But I really can't imagine that those numbers are large enough to generate the size of income stream google will care about.
Those of us who want more than can be done with the cd that came in the box with the camera are really quite few in number ... but we tend to forget that because we gather on forums like this and it feels like a crowd.

I get all that. But it is a powerful tool set for those of us who are serious, particularly for those who make their living with them. They won't generate the kind of revenue that Google likes (only ads do that), but they are valuable to a lot of others. Not just here, but comments elsewhere (tech blogs, newspapers, photography sites) lead me to believe there is a lot of anxiety among fans of Nik products. Everyone assumes that SEP, CEP, and all the others will simply disappear someday. Not that there aren't other options (I've tried them), but I like Nik products, in particular SEP.
 
I remember that. It was all over the design blogs, everyone was upset about it.

Makes you wonder why they spend the money on it. Millions or hundreds of thousands, no idea, just to kill a product which was not even competing. Makes no sense. (But clearly it made sense to someone at the time). I think we will see Snapseed continue, but the rest... probably not. Make sure you have your install files and licence keys safely tucked away, people. :-/

.. I like Nik products, in particular SEP.
Me too... and Viveza2 as well as CEP. The others... meh. But those three are invaluable. And I only do this for fun! What concerns me for the professionals is what happens on the next update for Photoshop/Lightroom/Aperture... will the older plugins break? It isnt going to be a pretty sight, sooner or later.
 
I get all that. But it is a powerful tool set for those of us who are serious, particularly for those who make their living with them. They won't generate the kind of revenue that Google likes (only ads do that), but they are valuable to a lot of others. Not just here, but comments elsewhere (tech blogs, newspapers, photography sites) lead me to believe there is a lot of anxiety among fans of Nik products. Everyone assumes that SEP, CEP, and all the others will simply disappear someday. Not that there aren't other options (I've tried them), but I like Nik products, in particular SEP.

Perhaps I expressed myself badly.
My point in essence is that the likes of Google really don't care how good it is or how useful or valuable it is to the existing user base, unless the user base is huge.
Users of Nik products are quite right to be anxious.
 
Don't know much about corporate takeovers etc..... But this seems like a solid move by google to step into the picture editing/storing realm. For now most people seem to be using Aperture or Lightroom and if Google can transform the Nik suite into something competitive over Apple and Adobe and integrate a social media aspect I think they'll have a great setup, picasa isn't enough for many peoples needs.
 
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