Campaign Monitor: “The beautiful thing about moving to a JavaScript based solution is that, unlike the closed Flash component, we had complete control over every bit of the charts. This meant we could easily add features we felt were missing from the default charts and offer a really nice experience for you and your clients. Here are some of the more interesting extras we added to the base library:”
I like stuff like this, a real world example that makes sense.
Adobe: “We believe open markets that allow developers, publishers, and consumers to make their own choices about how they create, distribute, and access content are essential to progress. That’s why we actively support technologies like HTML4, HTML5, CSS, and H.264, in addition to our own technologies.”
I love Adobe, and Adobe products, but… and there’s always a but, the article talks about openness and freedom, and yes all those technologies called out are open, but I still don’t get the article.
It’s about freedom, right? Here’s a fact for you. Developers have the freedom to choose to develop for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad by choosing to use Apple’s development tools. They also have the freedom to choose to not use those tools and not develop for the platform.
I don’t get it guys, I really don’t.
Flash changed the web experience, admit it. Like other technologies before it, it opened the door, opened eyes, and led to a new standard that is poised to supplant it.
The other thing you have to remember is Adobe can run Flash on a bazillion other platforms. If those platforms, running Flash, start to outsell, or cause Apple to start losing market share, they’ll change their tune.
The Free FreeHand folks have something to say about freedom.
Apple: “Symantec recently highlighted Flash for having one of the worst security records in 2009. We also know first hand that Flash is the number one reason Macs crash. We have been working with Adobe to fix these problems, but they have persisted for several years now. We don’t want to reduce the reliability and security of our iPhones, iPods and iPads by adding Flash.
In addition, Flash has not performed well on mobile devices. We have routinely asked Adobe to show us Flash performing well on a mobile device, any mobile device, for a few years now. We have never seen it. Adobe publicly said that Flash would ship on a smartphone in early 2009, then the second half of 2009, then the first half of 2010, and now they say the second half of 2010. We think it will eventually ship, but we’re glad we didn’t hold our breath. Who knows how it will perform?” – Now you know.
Lee Brimelow (The Flash Blog): “Personally I will not be giving Apple another cent of my money until there is a leadership change over there. I’ve already moved most of my book, music, and video purchases to Amazon and I will continue to look elsewhere. Now, I want to be clear that I am not suggesting you do the same and I’m also not trying to organize some kind of boycott. Me deciding not to give money to Apple is not going to do anything to their bottom line. But this is equivalent to me walking into Macy’s to buy a new wallet and the salesperson spits in my face. Chances are I won’t be buying my wallets at Macy’s anymore, no matter how much I like them.” – Honestly I’m surprised Adobe would employ this fella. He’s the same guy that used porn in a post as an example of why Flash was needed.
If Adobe has a problem with Apple they have a perfectly good way to show it, stop creating product for Apple platforms. Will they do it, no, of course not. They have an established brand on the Mac with a huge following. It’s not like Apple is going to jerk the rug out from under them on the Mac, how can they. The Mac is what it is. Flash is what it is on the Mac. Steve Jobs chose to keep the new platform clean. It’s apparent he doesn’t like how cross platform applications look, feel, and perform on the Mac. I’m sure we’ll get crummy apps on the iPhone and on the iPad, but I don’t have a problem with their move. If you want to write code for the iPhone, or iPad, just download the tools, and get to work. Hey, if a knucklehead like me can figure this stuff out, you can too.
Adobe has a lot of different options in the mobile space, embrace those, if Flash becomes wildly popular on the other platforms Apple may have to “give in” at some point.
John Gruber’s take on it: “Consider, for one example, Amazon’s Kindle clients for iPhone OS and Mac OS X. The iPhone OS Kindle app is excellent, a worthy rival in terms of experience to Apple’s own iBooks. The Mac Kindle app is a turd that doesn’t look, feel, or behave like a real Mac app. The iPhone OS Kindle app is a native iPhone app, written in Cocoa Touch. The Mac Kindle app was produced using the cross-platform Qt toolkit.”