No Flash in the Pad
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Apple has been criticizing Adobe Systems lately for what Cupertino perceives as poor performance and design deficiencies in Adobe’s Flash web media technology, which it darned well wants to keep off the iPhone and iPad. Adobe, in turn, has been defending Flash, however gently, citing it as a great enabling technology that has got the web in large part to where it is today. Both companies are correct, and that’s the point that seems to be missed by most of the pundits standing around pointing at the fight. Flash has been vital to the success of the web, but Flash is old.
Apple’s preferred media architecture, HTML5, is the future of the web.
Web browsers have swallowed up most every app you used to have to install on your PC. Something like TurboTax needs forms to input data, display tables of numbers, and store your returns on their server. But if you want to have forms smart enough to know what’s a date and what’s a dollar; to draw piecharts; or store your W-2 on your laptop, then you need a new browser.
Flash always picked up where the browser left off, but it can’t talk to your webcam, store local files, or draw pixels directly to your screen. Now, for the first time, a cluster of technologies known as HTML5 allow a standards-based pathway to busting those barriers with canvas graphics, drawing video onscreen, smarter forms, and local storage for private data. So who needs Flash?
John Gruber is right: Flash is responsible for most of the crashes of my Mac. I can hardly blame Adobe for defending its very successful Flash franchise, though it feels strange coming from that nerdiest of nerdy companies. And I admit there are still a few things that Flash can do but HTML5 can’t, but the evolutionary path here is clear.
Where Flash a decade ago enabled browsers to do more, I can see a time coming soon when Flash will force browsers to do less than they might.
It’s time for a change.
An irony pointed out by a friend that read the piece.
In order to follow the link to Robert’s wife’s site, you have to have flash. On his system, when he followed the link, flash crashed.
Wife? Didn’t you see the Xmas card column?
That’s great… But what do you do NOW?
There are a ton of great websites who use Flash, whether it’s good, efficient or not. The fact is, they’re out there and if you have an iPhone, iPad, iPod, you should be able to see them.
Eventually, there will be a backlash against Apple for limited customer choice and trying to force-feed “their vision” of the future. I have been an iPhone user since day one. I’m now looking very seriously at getting a Droid because of this very issue. *I* want to be able to choose what’s best for my experience; I don’t want it forced down my throat.
Our iPhone apps are typically approved in a day or two these days, as opposed to two weeks a year ago. Apple realizes that the current model’s days are numbered. They aren’t opening up the iPhone app market fully just yet, but there are signs that things are changing. For one thing, the fact that app and song preview pages are available as web pages for any browser.
The next iPhone announcement–which may coincide with the official iPad release–should be very interesting. I’m getting the impression that Apple is doing some major revamping of the app market and distribution channel.
But, to address the point about Flash, yes, John is right. It is patently ridiculous that my super duper Macbook Pro with with a dual 2.4 GHz processor and 512 Mb of dedicated video RAM on an nVidia card should ever have to struggle playing video, but that’s what happens with some Flash video.
I can view and manipulate flash just fine via remote desktop on my iPhone and soon, my ipad! Mouseovers and all. If the demand is there, believe me, someone will create an iPhone browser app that runs remote sessions on a flash enabled system. The iPhone is very versatile and provides exactly what it is meant to provide: slick mobility.
Long live iPhone!
How does this affect your battery life? Isn’t it a bit far to go for Flash video?
sorry, but:
- flash actually *can* talk to your webcam (flash.media.camera)
- store local files (shared objects, flash.filesystem)
- draw pixels directly to your screen (bitmapData)
but HTML5 can’t
- do animated Filters with Pixelbender
- alphamask video
- use cuepoints in video
and HTML5′s dirty little secret:
- only a veeery basic support for sound (canvas games are a maditative, silent experience, unless they use flash for sound-playback)
The Flash demise will be a pity. There’s nothing that screams “low-rent” so loud as Flash. Not having a Flash plugin in my browser has immeasurably improved the web for me all these years.
I don’t really know how I’m going to cope now, with all the previously-Flash-only trash pouring through. Ah well, I suppose they won’t stop making trash, so I’ll have to cut back on my end …
Flash also does:
Avoids the true problem of web “Standards” by having a consistent interpreter. How many developers spend their life with if (browswer =”Netscape”) code to handle all of the differences between browsers. And I don’t’ see evidence that makes this go away in html5.
Enabling Enterprise Development with Flex (cool interactive graphs and charts)
Soon to enable iphone development – Flash CS5
Crash – developers, including flash developers, can write bad code. No one has invented a tool that prevents stupid developers from writing stupid code.
Gives designers and animators tools for creating cool stuff that looks good.
Has a small footprint (Install Size) – compare Silverlight, and java
HTML 5 will have the same problem if FireFox, Microsoft, Apple, Google and other all impliment their own “interpritation” of html5. This is already showing the same problems, with lack of common video encoding formats across HTML5 standard implimentations.
The install size of Java is *zero* for end users. All modern machines have a recent JRE pre-installed. Since the JRE can now pre-load the hideous start-up time of the past is pretty much solved (just as starting your web browser or office suite the first time after a reboot can take a little time but the second time around it is very fast from the cache).
Java applets are dismissed as solutions due to their chequered past. Wtih WebStart applets it In facts solve many of the problems with other technologies. For example, after trying to get nice interactivity with Google Web Toolkit I found that AJAX technology is still too primitive to do a nice user interface. So I switched to an applet (with some apprehension given all the bad press over the years). Not only did I find it easy to develop and allowed a far richer user interface I am able to do even more than HTML5 promises – even doing 3D and native code/device access if the applet is properly signed.
After I’d built the applet I expected my users to have problems accessing the applet but none of the users I have did. They were confused by the initial applet download time (the resources in the 2 MB applet takes a few seconds for some) but very pleasantly surprised by the very quick startup time of WebStart apps and the wonderful interactive feel of a rich application and the lovely Nimbus look & feel.
The downside of course is the higher skill level required to build such a nice application. However with recent improvements it sure beats AJAX and Flash for web experience. nb. Silverlight is a non-contender, it’s simply not present on enough devices to make it a worthwhile target – a situation unlikely to change any time soon.
Oh yeah, I ought to mention that the other thing that made applets viable for me are WebServices, which weren’t present in the older days of applets.
For me, Java WebStart and WebServices have solved enough of the problems of the web that I don’t need to deal with limitations of AJAX or Flash. YMMV.
Hi Bob,
Are you aware of the “ClickToFlash” utility?
It seems to work well for me with Safari 4.0.4 and seems to get rid of much irritating web content. But, you can click on anything you want to see.
Here’s information:
http://www.macworld.com/article/138751/2009/02/clicktoflashprospect.html
Thanks for your column – Jim
THE IRONY IS THAT QUICKTIME IS THE BUGGY ONE (IM RUNNING WINDOWS HERE). FLASH NEVER CRASHES ON ME BUT APPLE QUICKTIME IS THE CRASHIEST, SLOWEST, BUGGIEST PIECE-A-CRAP GOING. LUCKILY THERE ARE ONE OR TWO ALTERNATIVES..
The only problem I have with Flash is all the changes you have to go through to have player controls to go along with your embedded player, and as a media pro I have found Windows media files to be much more efficient for web streaming than any other codec.
However, since Flash has become the standard and Mac users couldn’t find their way out of a paper bag when they are forced to work outside of their sacred abodes, Windows wmv files cannot be considered a universal format.
That’s the way it is February 27, 2010. .
Hello,
Apple picks an open standard. That is wrong because everybody is using the proprietary single-vender option. Apple roles-their-own, that is wrong because the world wants open standards that are not dependent on a single vender.
Tossing away those pie-in-the-skie arguments, we need to look at Apple’s business model. A now very successful one. Apple has found its recent successes by adopting and implementing, for themselves, open standards. This includes MP4 (subset of Quicktime), Zero-Conf (Bonjour), LLVM (app build tool), etc.
As far as Apple is concerned, they do not want their products dependent on the whim of a 3rd party vendor, regardless of its current or past quality. Adopting an open standard allows them to role-their-own or use a 3rd party vender – on their terms.
Its been working for them so far.
Dave:
You are saying because Adobe chooses a standard that standard then becomes the open standard?
Yeah right, like iTunes will play on every player.
I hoping eventually all the media producers will see the light, start promoting and distributing their content via their own websites, cut out the middle man such as Apple, and wean the masses off the free content band wagon. It’s the only way we are going to survive and make a living.
Regarding the Flash player I seriously doubt it’s status as the universal standard for web media content delivery will be in serious jeopardy because Steve Job’s says so.
I reread my posting and, no, I didn’t say that. In fact rereading yours, the first two sentences don’t make much sense. Adobe choosing a standard? iTunes playing on a player?
Both Apple and Microsoft are squeezing Flash out. Adobe has to fight this battle on two fronts.
And Apple, under Mr. Jobs, has shaped this industry’s technologies, standards, and product spaces in more ways than we can count. It is naive to state Jobs can’t cause the demise of a technology because “he says so.” He has in the past.
I read your link, and this seems to be more of power play on Steve Jobs side than anything else, and he could easily develop his toy’s to use Flash.
Of course Windows and Apple would like to squeeze Flash out, just as I would prefer to use .wmv files on my website.
Regarding my iTune comment, even my sister has mentioned she would like to be able to play her iTunes on other devices, as she can does with mp3′s.
Fortunately for me, my target audience are mostly family orientated desk top users, and this issue is not that big of a deal.
You really seem to have a dislike for Jobs. Whatever.
Do you have a non-agenda technical reason why you prefer Microsoft’s wmv?
“play her iTunes on other devices, as she can does with mp3’s” is not technically correct. iTunes is a player, that can play and manage MP3s. The Apple store sells content (most without DRM) that can play on any device that understands Sony’s AAC audio format. Tell her to buy a device that can play AAC.
“develop his toys to play Flash”. Apple’s developers cannot. Flash on touch-based user interface will not work correctly with the user. The content must be rewritten regardless to operate with the person’s finger. There is no mouse pointer.
You seem to be twisting things here. My sister can only play her iTunes on here computer or her iPod, not her smart phone.
And yes Apple could make their toys work with Flash based content if they chose to do so.
I refer to these devices as toys, because in reality that is what they are. There are some practical uses for them, but none have supplanted the popular tool that are already being used for the same function.
@ Raul X. Garcia (Sorry to Dave, but I had to reply to you because the chat refused to go any deeper.)
You obviously don’t know what you’re talking about… they ARE NOT CALLED “iTunes”. They are AAC files.
If your sister can’t play THE MUSIC SHE DOWNLOADED FROM ITUNES on her phone, she should just buy all her music as iTunes Plus tracks.
Lots of music from the iTunes store is now DRM-free (meaning you can play it on any device which supports the AAC format, if your *cough* sister doesn’t understand). However, some music you download will still be protected by FairPlay DRM. You can fix this by simply burning the music to CD and then ripping the tracks.
Also, it would be hard for Apple and Adobe to make all Flash content /work/ on the iPhone, even if it played. A touch UI makes no distinction between hovering and clicking, which would make it hard to use MANY, MANY flash websites.
What’s better, having no flash or having half-working flash? I’d rather just have no flash, considering half of the flash things I see/use everyday are ADS. There are alternative methods for getting content that is flash (like the player for this podcast, for instance – I prefer to get “I, Cringely” on iTunes).
An earlier comment made a link to this article.
http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2010/02/20/an-adobe-flash-developer-on-why-the-ipad-cant-use-flash/
Please read.
The article states something nobody else really does. Flash UI model is based off mouse. Touch-based UIs are fully different than mouse-based UIs. In other words, if we take away discussions of standards, choice, status quo, quality, and business models – what we are left with is Flash content that will not work as expected and will have to be rewritten.
My software alerts me that I just got attacked on this site
Me too. “Security Center” ransom-ware. about 10 AM. Thank goodness I was running Linux
Well I’m running Win 7/IE8 with MSE. I’ve noticed the “attack” screen at times when pressing the “submit” button. I do hope that Bob will be able to fix it but at least it hasn’t hurt anything (maybe because I turn off the internet connection when it happens). Then I can return to the website. Perhaps it’s tied to the comment button.
When it last happened to me a couple days ago, it was a “website” warning (part of the maleware) not a Microsoft Security Essentials warning. Although I rarely get into that situation, I believe MSE doesn’t bother with “warnings” it just prevents the problem.
Correction, it just happened to me again when pressing “submit” for the above comment. It looks like the fake website is trying to convince us it is downloading some anti-maleware protection or cleanup utility. Hopefully Bob will be able to get to the bottom of this or at least tell us why there is nothing he can do at his end.
Those false alerts have been a money maker for me.
Thanks Bob.
Video is the important part.Here is a good read:
Flash, Google, VP8, and the future of internet video (Diary Of An x264 Developer)
http://x264dev.multimedia.cx/?p=292
Well I read it and was impressed by his vast knowledge of the subject until I got to the last sentence: “They’re the reason that Vorbis beat MP3 for audio, and now they’re just as important for video.” I wasn’t aware that Vorbis beat anything except in the minds of obstinate free and open software geeks.
Hello! from Berkley. I enjoy your blog
Who is this guy? How can he pretend to talk about Flash with any authority when it clearly doesn’t even know much about it?
Oh yes, and nice Flash-based audio player at the top of your posting.
One of the problems with flash is that it doesn’t meet either the EU or US Disabled Accessibility Requirements. Sorry but I’m with Apple in this regards. Flash doesn’t cut it when you have visually impaired employee using a screen reader. Most times it doesn’t work with the minimal accessibility features found in Windows (Magnifyer, sticky keys, on screen keyboard) so it’s useless in that sense.
On the technical basis, flash is a resource hog. Yes it can be a very clean/elegant format when done right but with everything else, most times you’d have a better chance of a single monkey writing all of Shakesperes Plays at a single go then a flash website use as few resources as possible because no one thinks about it. It’s so easy to use that a trio of blind mouse could create a working site while being chased by the farmers wife but it certainly wouldn’t be a lean/clean site. It would be worse then a pigsty.
Don’t get me wrong, I find flash to be useful but anyone who designs their entire website using it has failed to meet the most basic element of the internet. Access to the information and that’s the biggest shame of all.
Hmmm….
isn’t it rather that Apple cant control what apps you use if their browser supports flash- as all a dev has to do is write their app in flash, thus neatly circuiting App-le’s app monopolisation?
[...] Shared No Flash in the Pad. [...]
Developers are still trying to wrap their brains around HTML 5. HTML 5 is like a signed health care bill, I’ll believe it when I see it. Flash still has a lotta legs and has grown beyond it’s orignal intent. Jobs is making a big mistake not including Flash on the ipad. Apple has a bit of an monopoly with it’s iphone and Ipod Touch but the PC tablet market is wide open. Dell HP and even Acer have ipad killers waiting in the wings already and they all are rumored to support Flash. I predict that Apple will have to add some sort of Flash to the ipad or face their biggest flop in a decade.
I just found this blog in google, looks great. Will have to subscribe.
When Apple was down and needed Adobe’s help in improving the number and quality of software available on the Mac, Adobe basically ignored Apple’s requests and generally concentrated on the Windows versions of their software and gave second-class citizen status to Macs, creating fewer-feature versions for the Mac, or no software equivalent at all. Now that the shoe is on the other foot and Apple has a dominance in smartphone numbers, maybe Steve Jobs is getting his revenge and letting Adobe experience what Apple did, i.e., having to beg.
Really good report,I recently subscribed to your rss.
I just hope that apple has learnt from the past and will not try to enforce all sorts of constraints on people who want to make third party products. It was this thinking that started their demise way back
It looks like they may have not
Regards
Mark
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this is dilemma, because I still flash still consistence multimedia tool than html 5 that need more development.
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