As you might already notice, the modern trend is related to transfer some of the desktop software responsibilities, which were traditionally associated with computer-installed programs, online. You have online text editors, translators, PDF creators, fax generators, and more. One more area of the stand-alone software utilities is coming to Internet.

Aviary is a new online service (in beta) that lets its members edit and create images (and videos in the nearest future) online with no need for additional software installed on the PC. Eventually, Aviary will ultimately be a suite of 18 media tools, with major accent on image editing. The idea is to provide online collaboration capabilities to the users. The main application in the suite - Phoenix – is an image editing system, reminding famous Photoshop as to the spec of the overall capabilities. It includes layers, color adjustments, and a host of drawing and selection manipulation tools. This is powerful software that will fill the needs of beginners and expert users.

Aviary is a Web 2 oriented suite, as users can leave comments on other's works, follow them as fans and supporters, and save their profiles as favorites.

During the beta, Aviary is free. You have to sign up using your email address to receive a beta invitation.

Sources and additional reading:

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/84300;_ylt=AlTDI3_hkmnVxnk6.rucCTIvL5A5

http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/13/aviarys-incredibly-ambitious-art-project/

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Stewart/?p=572

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/02/14/aviary-web-image-editing-suite-test-flight/