I started using Flash about 10 years ago. Had little knowledge about it back then since during my school years, Director was my main authoring tool. Well, they’re known as Macromedia products before. Similar to Director, Flash can used on webpages as long as the required plugins are installed on several browsers. Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator were the browsers that I used before and each of them had different plugin installers plus both Director and Flash had different plugins as well (If I am not mistaken, shockwave). I can’t recall much but, yeah, imagine today’s browsers to have different plugin installers for each of them and you need to restart your Windows each time installing them, heh. Of course that the current version of Adobe Flash Player is available for all internet browsers without such fuss.
Flag of Japan. Well, that if Flash conquered the country tho
The reason I bring this Flash matters up is actually because of the way Flash changed our Internet browsing habits. Flash has been used for designing our websites for more than a decade. It has then expanded to other platforms like smartphones. But whenever we wanted to browse a site that uses Flash, you’re required to install the Flash plugin to your system. Especially when suckers like us who wanted to watch YouTube videos on a new computer who will immediately download the installer just for that matter. That’s for computer users like Windows, Mac or Linux. Apple iPhone, Nokia Symbian and Windows Mobile users would have problem viewing webpages that have Flash files. Heck, Sony Playstation Interner browser and Nintendo Wii browser do have the same problem as well. Of course, certain tweaks can be done to make sure that Flash file works on those platforms.
unyaaaa~
Reason being? Flash is not a standard for World Wide Web. For years we have seen developers churning out web designs and standalone applications using Flash but it is not a requirement to run a web application with Flash. Because Flash is more on to the user-end for them to use it. You can create any kind of Flash apps and put it on your site and then expecting your site visitors to have their browsers to be equipped with Flash plugins. On Symbian and Windows phones, there’s a thing called Flash Lite to have your apps run on your devices. Some phones have it pre-installed but that depends on the manufacturers.
Such drawback doesn’t necessarily making people less favor the usage of Flash. Actually, it was developers who favor on using it as it is easy to develop an application using this popular authoring tool. Graphics, audio and video work seamlessly and this what we called as WYSIWYG. Less programming and coding works compared to a Java-based website as both can produce similar outputs. In Malaysia, learning Flash is somewhat compulsory for multimedia students in colleges and universities. Just because it is a good tool for making animations and cartoons, some newer institutions were erected where students were only learning on using this. But Flash is not really the way for Internet browsing experience anymore.
Introducing HTML5. The Youtube video above is showing about Quake 2 game being played on your Internet browser. Well, you can say that any kind of such games can be played on any browser. But, remember, you are required to install some plugins to make sure your apps can be used on them. With HTML5, you don’t need things like Adobe Flash Player anymore. This Quake 2 GWT is being ported by some developers at Google Code which is still at beta stage. Using a thing called WebGL to make the 3D images and animation run smoothly. The technologies mentioned are like HTML5 audio, HTML5 Websockets, HTML5 LocalStorage, and others. Despite on a browser, it can have up to 60 frame per second with online multiplayer capability. Quake 2 GWT Port developers did mention about Safari and Chrome, two most prominent Internet browsers out there. What is HTML5 got to do with these 2 browsers anyway?
Do Apple has some sort of uneasiness with Flash which is somewhat denying their existence? I don’t have a clue. Well, with recent ruckus of Adobe Flash CS5 might having some problem developing apps for iPhone, Flash supporters is seemed to be acknowledged Apple as sworn enemies or something. But we can see how Apple refused to let Flash incorporated with their stuffs. Simply look at Apple site, you won’t ever see any kind of Flash existence there. Why is it so? Alright, let see Apple this way. This is not about competition much. But Apple has a lot of products. They’re promoting the ease of use for their products. What do you do when you got onto Apple’s site on your brand new Macbook with Safari? It works smoothly without you have to download and install additional plugin unlike if you go straight away to Adobe site who would force you to do some download. In the recent matters, people misunderstand the clauses given by Apple as they don’t allow direct development of any tool onto iPhone as you still have to use the given iPhone SDK for app development. As in, Flash is only limited to be used as a development tool and then compiled into iPhone SDK files which is where you actually testing your app. Not necessarily Apple is denying Adobe Flash to be used as iPhone development tool. If so, Unity3D for iPhone and iTorque won’t be available for developers.
How about Google? Google is emphasizing HTML5 as they are currently developing their own Chromium OS that already gone to Beta phase. For those who not really understand how Chromium OS works, just use the Google Chrome browser to get a vibe of it. While Google still using Flash for their YouTube site, it is acknowledged that Google will ditch the need of installing Adobe Flash Player when they’re able to apply HTML5 onto their videos perfectly. When your OS is an Internet Browser, why do you need other plugins to make it work? If you’re a frequent Google user (not only by using them to search on the net), your Google page can be applied with various apps and widgets which are certainly not requiring any Flash at all. Eventually, simple animations can be done with HTML5. Heck, if you want heavier stuffs, you don’t need to get additional plugins. That’s what they aim for.
How about Microsoft? Microsoft is an ass who would force you to use Microsoft Silverlight.
Nevertheless, Flash will be around but only limited to computer users in the coming years. Developers who are used to Flash will be having a problem to integrate themselves with other technologies. Be in mind that mobile or portable stuffs will be more than ever in the future. Just like today’s handheld products, it would be silly to have a plugin that’s not available for these devices. Unless Flash being a part of WWW consortium, which is mostly unlikely, Flash will only be available with certain kind of users. Perhaps Flash should have something to integrate themselves with HTML5.
HTML5 for the future!
Nice writeup. Ironically right click on the embedded video and there you go. Flash still rules. Its a nice argument but even tho i agree that Flash is so yesterday but it definitely takes a long time for tomorrow to arrive. Flash developers aren’t out of of job (yet) and with the insane numbers of people playing FarmVille on Facebook its suffice to say flash is still here to stay for a long time.
For the time being, yes. Perhaps Google might give better video embedding capability on website without the use of Flash but certain not so soon.
Just wonder what if Quake 2 that uses Flash plugin? A netbook with slower processor might not be able to handle it even on a browser. As well as Farmville.
But look back at Quake 2 itself, it was a game made for Celeron PCs more than a decade ago. By right, it would run smoothly on a netbook on its own without the need of any browser. With the introduction of HTML5, that’s something worth to wait.
HTML5 = NEW CONSTRUCTION OPTION
i tried out quake live last year. runs on a webbrowser from a plugin. was pretty good. and the plugin doesnt use any flash from what i understand.
That still requires a plugin. This Quake 2 here doesn’t.
wonder how long it’ll be before ppl make ‘consoles’ to play these web based games xD
IMHO, as HTML5 is growing, so do Flash. I can say that in future, Flash can do more than what it is capable now.