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FutureSplash Animator in 1996

FutureSplash Animator

FutureSplash Animator was a multimedia graphics software designed to create fast vector animations or illustrations which were not demanding in terms of data. The program was developed in the mid-90s by FutureWave Software.

In January 1993, Jonathan Gay, Charlie Jackson and Michelle Welsh founded FutureWave Software. The company’s first product was the SmartSketch vector illustration program, which was initially available only for PenPoint OS, but was subsequently ported to the Windows and Macintosh platforms.

In May 1996, FutureWave Software launched its second product called FutureSplash Animator. The program enabled the creation of data-saving vector animations that could be played on the website using the FutureSplash Player plugin. In the web design community, FutureSplash Animator gained considerable popularity in the months after that, and animations created using this program soon appeared on MSN.com, Disney Daily Blast, or The Simpsons official website.

In December 1996, FutureWave Software was purchased by Macromedia. FutureSplash Animator was rebranded and its improved version was released in 1996 under the name Macromedia Flash 1.0. The name of the new product was created by blending the words Future and Splash.