Adobe reclaims design guru from Microsoft

A high-powered programmer who'd left Adobe Systems to lead a Microsoft Windows interface design team is heading back after just over a year.

Mark Hamburg had worked on Adobe Photoshop since version 2.0 in 1990 and then was instrumental in designing its photography-specific cousin, Lightroom, which sports a radically different user interface.

Hamburg left Adobe for Microsoft in 2008 to become a "distinguished engineer" leading work on improving operating system usability. He called the job an opportunity that "was a little too interesting to turn down" because he found the Windows' experience "really annoying."

On Friday, Adobe's German public relations staff welcomed Hamburg back in a Twitter post. Added Lightroom programmer Troy Gaul, "Glad to have Mark Hamburg back at Adobe. Looking forward to his renewed impact on our products."

Jeff Schewe, a Photoshop consultant who knows Hamburg, said the Adobe engineer again will work in Adobe's digital imaging department.

"His decision to return to Adobe is more a statement of desire to again work on products in the digital imaging realm rather than a more research driven project," Schewe said in a blog post. Hamburg isn't expected to be working on Lightroom again, though, Schewe added.

[folsco]

Did he also influenced the design of Windows 7? I'm wondering the area of the OS he has really improved, him being a "high-powered" programmer and a Graphics guru.

Wish him well. And thanks for giving us Windows 7. (not sure if you worked on it, anyway).

[Mr. Dee]

Actually, no, Julie Larson Green and Steven Sinofsky and a host of other people are responsible for the interface improvements in Windows 7. Also, they have been working on what you are seeing in Windows since 2007, way before that guy from Adobe entered the picture.

[Splashes]

Well, knock me down with a feather. A "design guru" leaves MS after a year. Can't imagine why.

Actually, the real surprise was that he got talked into going to MS in the first place. Apparently he had grand ideas about actually making Windows better -- the grand delusion.

[monkeyfun14]

They can't even make their own products better how are they going to help another comapny?

[cvaldes1831]

I guess the cafeteria on the Death Star sorta sucks. Plus, there's that tall bald guy with the "chokey hand".

[fazalmajid]

The vast majority of people use (and endure) Windows. Improving Windows would thus have a more important impact on ordinary users' lives than even a wonderful new product like Lightroom at Adobe. Unfortunately, if the roots of Windows execrable design and user interface stem from structural causes in the company itself, making Mark Hamburg's brief when he was hired at Microsoft a mission impossible, cutting his losses when he realized the obstacles are insurmountable would be the most rational thing for him to do.

[monkeyfun14]

Mac and Linux fanboys troll on just about anything don't they?

[shellcodes_coder]

They can troll as much as they want. But Windows 7 will keep Apple, their fan boys' mouth shut :)

[jandler]

he went over to "acquire" some whtiepapers that's all