Adobe makes mystery web buy

Keeps mum on deal

Adobe Systems quietly acquired web platform outfit Business Catalyst (BC) for an undisclosed sum on Monday.

The software maker has remained silent about the deal, but BC said that Adobe had bought Business Catalyst and its sister firm, GoodBarry, according to an official statement on the company's site.

Business Catalyst, which was founded in Australia in 1997, offers a one-stop-shop to internet businesses that want a single platform for their developers to work on.

Most of its products, partner deals, team and pricing will remain intact under the agreement with Adobe.

The GoodBarry brand, meanwhile, will be no more after 1 October when its site will be closed to all but a handful of interested web developers. The rest of its operation will shift over to Business Catalyst.

"There are some changes we'll be making to GoodBarry in the coming months," reads a statement on the GoodBarry site.

"Most importantly, we'll be refocusing our marketing and sales efforts on the web professional market (via businesscatalyst.com), as opposed to web-savvy DIYers such as you.

"In other words, this means that eventually we will cease 'retail' operations and focus on our wholesale operations and we will only be selling subscriptions to our software via our partner and reseller network."

Adobe could not immediately be reached for comment at time of writing. ®