Adobe Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: ADBE) released Flash Player 9 for Linux on Wednesday, allowing users of the open-source operating system to create or use multimedia applications with the latest version of Flash.

The software firm said it will bring users of the alternative operating system up to speed with users of Microsoft Windows and Mac's OS X, who have had the software for over 6 months.

Now the Linux community has full access to the high volume of Flash content and applications available on the Internet today, bringing Linux developers and users to the forefront of the Web 2.0 experience, said Emmy Huang, a senior product manager at Adobe.

Adobe's Flash products allow content developers and artists to develop dynamic and interactive applications and for web and other digital media. The newest version features more efficient use of computer resources, the firm said, as well as new features and up to 10 times the performance of predecessors.

San Jose Calif.-based Adobe obtained the Flash software suite with its purchase of rival software firm, Macromedia, in 2005, for nearly $3.4 billion in stock. The web-design software Dreamweaver and Macromedia Studio were also obtained in the purchase.

Sales of Dreamweaver and Flash sales were both up for December following declines in October and November, NPD reported, however Studio sales were down for the month against a strong December 2005.

Currently, the flash player is installed on over 700 million Internet-connected PC's, the Adobe said.

Shares of Adobe were down $1.11, or 2.76 percent, to $39.09 in early afternoon trading on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange.

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