What’s the future of Flash?
April 13, 2010
I have been a Flash designer for many years. I found it to be a good offshoot of Macromedia’s Director, which I had learned to use to make CD-ROMs. What I’ve always loved about Flash is that it’s as big as you need it to be, both dimensionally and the amount of memory it needs (after the initial base.)
Up until the time that Adobe bought Macromedia I felt that flash would become the platform that would replace the normal browser, and make rich experiences the norm on the Web. Flash can grab movies, text, data and present them on screen without the constraining window that has become the norm for the browser. I was envisioning the use of Websites becoming so integrated into the computer itself that it would be less about using the Web and just become a part of owning a computer. I was sure that most of the operations of the computer would be through mini-apps, like Dashboard widgets, with 24bit transparent interfaces designed by professionals to make it intuitive to find what you need.
Then Adobe bought Macromedia.
I’ve been disappointed by the lack of innovation and evangelism that Adobe has provided for Flash. I find it aggravating that I can’t design flash for a Website that will play on and iPhone or iPad. Now not only do I not think that Flash will become the platform, but I’m afraid it’s not going to make it into the next set of standards. Now with HTML5 and javascript, Flash is becoming a niche program. Sure you can now design iPhone apps with flash, and that’s easier, and I think that’s good, but it’s not a pervasive as I would like it to be. And I think that’s a shame.
The rumor is that it will be pervasive again by 2012 or so, but what will come in the meantime? Maybe the other standards will become better than flash. Maybe Flash is not the future. Maybe it will merge into something else.
I was always a big fan of PDF, too. That also never made it to what I had hoped. Maybe now with the iPad it is the time of PDF. Maybe PDF and Flash will make owning an iPad even better. I hope so.
April 13, 2010 at 2:20 pm
I hate Flash. Browser plugins are basically a dinosaur from the 90s. Nowadays Flash is about the only plugin still being used (or certainly, the.only one I use).
If the player was open source and could’ve been integrated directly into browsers, then maybe it wouldn’t be so slow and clunky. But they kept the player proprietary (not sure why, they make their money on the design app), the format proprietary and now they’re being overtaken. Good riddance….
I did play with Macromedia Flash 4 back in 2000 when I was in high school. It was quite fun to use. I could see how from the designer perspective its pretty nice.
(and btw, Apple’s latest terms of service outlaws non-Apple code generators which would ban Flash-apps for the iPhone. What a nice bunch in Cupertino.)
April 13, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Agreed, Flash as a plugin is an old, outdate idea. It should part of the browser by now.