Rise and Fall of QuarkXPress

History repeats itself again and again. The company a long time a leading position in the market (BlackBerry and smartphones, Atari computers, video games, Microsoft, and just about everything else ...) and suddenly, as if the soil is slipping away from under its feet. More vigorous competitors are increasingly replacing hulking giants from the battlefield. A similar fate befell the QuarkXPress - once the market leader in electronic publishing.

That's what writes Dave Gerard pages Ars Technica:

We can not say that Adobe InDesign has been a sensation. Most of us were too busy working in XPress. We did not immediately notice that there was something that could not only change our work, but also the industry as a whole. But the situation has changed quite rapidly, in 2004 the share of Quark in the market has dropped to 25 percent. In the publishing business, we call it "absolute madness".

At the end of the 90s was the most popular QuarkXPress professional publishing system. Newspapers, magazines, graphic designers - QuarkXPress used everything. And the creators of Quark knew it. They only reap the fruits of success, not noticing anything around. Updates out rarely, innovations almost was not - they treat their users as indifferently as if they are not going anywhere.

Adobe introduced QuarkXPress users a hundred reasons to switch to InDesign their product did not hesitate for a second. But that was not enough, because people worked with QuarkXPress for a long time, they were not ready to give up the habit and start with a "clean slate." Many companies are in no hurry to give up on what works steadily. But in the end, the InDesign asked them what they needed, and Quark - not. Thus, Quark gradually lost control over the market.

However, QuarkXPress continues to exist, and some still remain faithful to its users. But, undoubtedly, it will never regain its former popularity.

references are often found in classical literature that when the Roman Emperor returned to the city from the field of battle with swing celebrating the victory behind him was always a slave who had to whisper "Memento mori" - "Remember that you will die."

This is a good lesson for any company occupying a dominant position on the market. No matter how you think you are invulnerable - there is always someone less creative and smarter, who is your shadow and learn from your mistakes. Bravo, Adobe.

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(via)