Date: 04-01-2008
Adobe Systems has launched a pre-release alpha version of Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR) for Linux, following its release for Mac and Windows last month. AIR allows developers to store their data offline and utilize web applications through the desktop itself. The reason for the delay of the launch, according to various sources, was that the AIR team had to “wait on the core Flash Player’s support for Linux to be finalized.” Adobe said that it has joined the Linux Foundation to accelerate growth of rich Internet application development (RIAs) on the operating system. Adobe will launch an updated version of Flex Builder 3 to include support for AIR applications. Meanwhile, observers note that Google Gears will prove to be a tough competitor to Adobe AIR in the coming years.