Comments on: 3000+ reasons why Flash isn’t going anywhere soon

By: idroot

idroot — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:00:30 +0000

One major thing many people seem to forget is that HTML 5 in and of itself is merely a specification. No more, no less. What can make it a ‘standard’ boils down to uniform implementation on behalf of the browsers. Now looking back at history we can see that relying on all the different browsers to achieve standards is like waiting for a glass of water to freeze in hell. That said, it is my opinion that you shouldn’t hold your breath for HTML 5 to live up to its many promises. It sounds good on paper, but what it will boil down to is more headaches for web developers. Mark my words.

Like it or not, Flash is the closest thing to a standard the web has ever experienced.

By: webdesign

webdesign — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:20:15 +0000

I Think All HTML Based Sites Should Be Built in Flash . Why to stick to html if we can do almost everything in flash. Its about choice.

By: NicolásRubiopinto

NicolásRubiopinto — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 01:59:35 +0000

RT @fwa: 3000+ reasons why Flash isn't going anywhere http://bit.ly/9YXbFw

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:45:31 +0000

Flash is great for Promotional, Game or Entertainment sites. They serve a purpose and look dope.

By: FlashMoto

FlashMoto — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:18:48 +0000

HTML 5 is in its early days, a few years needed to make it competitive to Flash – a whole lifetime for the Internet

By: Logic

Logic — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:34:15 +0000

@Guy, many valid points there. We are so focussed on accessibility, it has become an obsession. But with that in mind, you could ask yourself the question why Flash has become this big in the first place. How is that possible? How did they convince people to download and install a plugin, back in the days when the average modem didn’t go faster than 36kbit/s… Sometimes accessibility is overrated, e.g., how many people installed the Silverlight plugin just so they could see the Playboy showcase? Once installed tho, mission accomplished.

>”The point is not to just arbitrarily choose a technology and build with that just because you like it.”

You give me the impression that I can’t choose a technology, just because I like it. Steve Jobs loves HTML5, and he already made that choice before I could… it’s not even a standard yet!

By: suBi

suBi — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:34:11 +0000

“Let me turn things around and ask you this: with all cross-browsers issues you’ll get, why not develop every webpage in Flash?”

– > why not just use images for everypage with image maps…

I think flash is cool, it will do things that HTML won’t or hasn’t (cough cough)!

If a magazine delivered the same content that a newspaper did, of course, it’d look better and feel better…

Flash has evolved and so has HTML. It’ll be interesting to see what my job will require me to do in the future.

Its two different means to visualize information and I think whichever is more suitable should be used. Case by case analysis… just imagine the “GET THE GLASS” site in HTML…

I like both technologies and use both so.. just my 2 cents !

By: JP

JP — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:09:08 +0000

“I just dont think the FWA will/can dictate or justify its existence.”

Agreed. My impression is most of the sites are “trophy” sites for agencies or big brands. Nothing Joe Consumer would miss if it never existed.

The problem with Flash is mostly poor UI design. ie: too much animation (making user wait for the content), high CPU use, etc. … and the FWA site is like a collection of worst practices, IMO.

Given the explosion of browsers among various platforms, I’d like to see a collection (award category?) for “best practices” showcasing practical, efficient (transparent?) use of Flash for navigation, multi-tasking, speed, and even Web 2.0 use.

By: LL

LL — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:58:32 +0000

This is a rather odd statement as to why Flash is not going anywhere just based on 10 years of the FWA showcase, given some of the following:

- FWA historically has “Only” showcased Flash sites.
- FWA only recently “officially” (Feb 2010) opened up submissions to other mediums, and for the first time (to my knowldege) showcased a “non” Flash site.
- Most of all, alot has changed in those 10 years concerning the web, broadband, moble, etc.. regardless of what the FWA has choosen to showcase.

Its also odd that…

- The March 2010 FWA relaunch of their new site looks like a typical HTML/CSS site you see everywhere now days for websites, blogs, etc.., but instead it is done in Flash, kind of weird really (to me)? Why not just use HTML/CSS etc.. if your gonna mimic it anyway, why go to the trouble of using Flash? Seems odd to replicate HTML/CSS just for the sake of using Flash?

Having mentoned these things, I am so tired of the overall debate about Flash vs HTML5 and every other web markup/technology out there. As a Flash person myself, I appreciate the FWA, I just dont think it can be used as a “solid point” to say Flash is not going anywhere.

3000 sites over 10 years, what about the other millions/billions/trillions of sites that are out there that may or may not, and those that do not use Flash? Everyday, I see sites that look like what used to be Flash and are now using some form of Javascript or Ajax Library for standard things Flash used to be used for. Granted from a capability standpoint Flash is still far more reaching and capable than those other technologies in many areas, but most sites today on average only need the types of things those other technologies now offer (the whole web standards, web 2.0, JS/Ajax craze).

Flash is great like any other web medium when its required and used efficiently, I just dont think the FWA will/can dictate or justify its existence. Hopefully Adobe however will, only time will tell.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:53:46 +0000

@Charles A reality of business is that technology will always be changing and if your your business doesn’t account for this then it will be your business that is under threat. Flash is just a piece of technology (a tool) to get things done. Is it the only way to do it? No, of course not. Is Flash under threat by a competing technology? Maybe so! Time will tell. But Adobe has been making advances in the platform in an effort for it to stay alive so they can sell their other products.

I really don’t understand what you’re trying to say. For instance, the “developers” you speak of that had a huge part in making Flash what it is today are now “professional programmers” themselves using the latest API’s available in the latest Flash Player. It sounds to me as if you’re annoyed that Adobe hasn’t catered to your situation, that being you’re still using ActionScript 2 and don’t have access to the latest features of the Flash Player. I’m sorry if you’re still forced to use AS2, but as a developer, for your own sake, teach yourself AS3. Get your business to realize that if they don’t keep up with the advances in the platform then you’ll be left behind. Thats just how this type of industry works.