Quark, makers of publishing software QuarkXpress, was sold yesterday to Los Angeles-based investment firm Platinum Equity. The companies did not release the terms of the deal.

The party line of course was that this was a great deal for everyone, and Quark is a great company with loyal customers and up-and-coming products, just as you would expect.

Brian Wall, a partner at Platinum who coordinated the acquisition, had this to say about the deal in the announcement: "Quark is committed to its loyal and dedicated user base and we are enthusiastic about the company's new products which are gaining traction and generating positive reviews. We believe that with their expertise and innovative software, Quark has the potential to revolutionize publishing again."

But Sarah O'Keefe, president at Scriptorium Publishing Services, a company that helps customer deal with high-volume publishing projects wasn't so sure. In fact, she seemed confused about the deal and felt it left more questions than answers about Quark's future. "I'm puzzled by the announcement, which indicates that Quark will continue with business as usual and is uninformative even for a press release. How will this acquisition affect Quark's overall strategy? Will the current management team stay in place?"

Further, she wonders if the new owners have plans for Quark. It's a valid question, but the announcement at least hints that Platinum Equity has some plans for the company beyond flipping it down the road.

By all reports Quark makes some interesting products. As one consultant put it, the technology is getting awards again and it could be interesting to someone who needs XML authoring.

Quark was founded in 1981 on the cusp of the PC revolution and even predates Adobe by a year. Quark has always been a family-owned company, so it will be interesting to see how it deals with being part of an a larger organization.

For more information:
- the Quark press release

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