Comments on: Flash is as open as HTML5

By: bob

bob — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:26:02 +0000

“The difference between HTML5 and Flash is that for the latter you are forced to use the Adobe Flash player. So no, Flash is not as open as HTML5.”

And to use html5 you need a browser. What was your point again?

By: Ain Tohvri

Ain Tohvri — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 23:56:04 +0000

To take the message further, Flash is not only open, but Flash content can be authored on an entirely open-source platform using Eclipse (Open-source Software) and AXDT (Open-source Software) that comes with Flex SDK (Open-source Software). For debugging/profiling you can use De MonsterDebugger AIR app (Open-source Software).

The above platform is quite easy to set up, see the guide at http://tekkie.flashbit.net/flash/axdt-open-source-cross-platform-alternative-for-flash-development

By: Serge Jespers

Serge Jespers — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:13:54 +0000

Thanks everyone for your comments. I think this was a good discussion with some good and interesting points. I’m going to close the comments here as the last couple of comments in the moderation queue were seriously off topic. Feel free to email me (http://www.webkitchen.be/get-in-touch/) if you have further comments or thoughts.

By: Andrew Traviss

Andrew Traviss — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:38:22 +0000

Proprietary and open software are complementary by nature. One cannot succeed and advance without the other.

Proprietary software leads the way through new features and technologies, because the focused vision and lack of community consensus allows it to explore new areas faster. Proprietary software is the primary source of innovation.

Open software brings up the rear guard, slowly implementing proven ideas once the industry can agree what the best solution is. This is most often based on observation of proprietary software that has already implemented those features and moved on to something else. This does two things very well; it provides a stable basis for developers to work from on projects that really require stability and safety, and it raises the bar for proprietary technologies over time.

Personally I would weep if the Flash Player were open sourced and bound to a committee-driven open specification. I want to see the Flash Player add new features before I retire. This is because I prefer to work in an environment of innovation and discovery. I don’t want to work on a platform that changes once in a decade.

I love the general concept of open standards and open source software, but I cannot articulate how frustrated I am by the idea that all software must be open, or that closed software is inherently bad in any way, shape, or form. It’s ludicrous.

By: Daveed V.

Daveed V. — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:08:48 +0000

Huh?

Being able to submit bugs and feature requests is not the same as having an actual vote in the decision for future directions.

Similarly, WebKit being open source and Safari not would parallel a situation where the Flash engine code is open source but the plugin not — the latter is not the case today.