FutureWave Software

{{Short description|American software company}}

{{Infobox company

| name = FutureWave Software, Inc.

| logo = FutureWave Software.svg

| logo_size = 300px

| logo_caption = The FutureWave Software logo, used from 1993 until being acquired by Macromedia

| type = Private

| industry =

| genre =

| fate = Acquired by Macromedia

| predecessor =

| successor = {{Unbulleted list|Adobe Systems|Macromedia}}

| foundation = {{Start date and age|1993|1|22}}

| founder = Charlie Jackson
Jonathan Gay

| defunct = {{End date|1996|12}}

| location = San Diego, California, U.S.

| locations =

| area_served = United States

| key_people =

| products =

| brands =

| production =

| services =

| revenue =

| operating_income =

| net_income =

| aum =

| assets =

| equity =

| owner =

| num_employees =

| parent =

| subsid =

| footnotes =

| intl =

| homepage =

}}

FutureWave Software, Inc.{{Cite web|url=https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ca/C1850552|title=FUTUREWAVE SOFTWARE, INC. :: OpenCorporates|website=opencorporates.com|access-date=2019-01-02}} was a software development company based in San Diego, California. The company was co-founded by Charlie Jackson and Jonathan Gay on January 22, 1993.{{cite web |url=https://www.adobe.com/macromedia/events/john_gay/page03.html |title=The History of Flash: Back to Graphics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101204138/https://www.adobe.com/macromedia/events/john_gay/page03.html |archive-date=1 Jan 2015}} The VP of Marketing was Linda Michelle Alsip, who also came from Silicon Beach Software, then Aldus Corporation.{{cite web |url=http://www.coldhardflash.com/2008/02/grandmasters-of-flash-an-interview-with-the-creators-of-flash.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503135254/http://www.coldhardflash.com/2008/02/grandmasters-of-flash-an-interview-with-the-creators-of-flash.html |archive-date=3 May 2008 |title=Grandmasters of Flash: An Interview with the Creators of Flash| website=Cold Hard Flash}}[http://digital-archaeology.org/flash-back/ MACROMEDIA FLASH BACK], Digital Archaeology[https://books.google.com/books?id=tnckAQAAMAAJ&q=Michelle+Welsh+%22futurewave%22 PC Graphics & Video, Volume 6, Issues 1-6], Advanstar Communications, 1997[https://books.google.com/books?id=Tn8qAQAAMAAJ&q=Michelle+Welsh+%22futurewave%22 Personal Computer Magazine], PC Communications Corporation, 1995

The company's first product was SmartSketch, a drawing program for the PenPoint OS and EO tablet computer. When pen computing did not take off, SmartSketch was ported to the Microsoft Windows and Macintosh platforms.{{cite book|author1=Chris Kaplan|author2=Paul Milbourne|author3=Michael Boucher|title=The Essential Guide to Flash CS4 with ActionScript|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T2Lly4j0BpMC&pg=PA6|date=10 March 2009|publisher=Apress|isbn=978-1-4302-1812-8|pages=6–}}

As the Internet became more popular, FutureWave realized the potential for a vector-based web animation tool that might challenge Macromedia Shockwave technology. In 1995, FutureWave modified SmartSketch by adding frame-by-frame animation features and re-released it as FutureSplash Animator on Macintosh and Windows.{{Cite web|url=http://www.adobe.com/macromedia/events/john_gay/page04.html|title=Macromedia - Showcase : The Dawn of Web Animation|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=Adobe|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060717071243/http://www.adobe.com/macromedia/events/john_gay/page04.html|archive-date=2006-07-17|access-date=2016-09-04}} By that time, the company had added a second programmer Robert Tatsumi, artist Adam Grofcsik, and PR specialist Ralph Mittman.

In December 1996, FutureWave was acquired by Macromedia, who renamed the animation editor Macromedia Flash.