Are Macromedia taking Authorware more seriously?

For a long time, users of Authorware have felt that Macromedia have been treating Authorware as - to use a favoured colloquialism - a "red-headed step child". Authorware gets little marketing and hardly a mention in the e-Learning literature that comes out of Macromedia. Admittedly this is becuase Authorware has a mainly Corporate market and it makes little sense marketing the tool to the same people who use Flash. Yet somehow Authorware survives as a major player in the field of education delivered by computer - be it delivered on hard drive, via cd, over a LAN, via the web or from an LMS.

More importantly Authorware continues to make a healthy profit for Macromedia.

Those who frequent the >Aware List have been surprised and pleased to learn that Macromedia has appointed Bob Tartar to to act as Community Manager for Authorware, something he already does for Director. To quote his introductory announcement:-

My job as Authorware Community Manager will be to monitor the Authorware forum and Aware list, post product related news, assist developers where I'm able, and provide feedback from the Authorware developer community to the Authorware product development team.

You can read the entire note in the Aware List archive.

Among other things, Bob has actioned changes to the way Macromedia presents Authorware on their web site - something that has long been a cause of irritation for the dedicated Authorware developers.

A heartfelt thanks goes out to Bob!