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The Future of Flash
An anonymous reader writes "Adobe is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Flash, and News.com has an article looking at the company's plans for the future of the technology. No longer just a choice for 'innovative' web designers, Adobe is positioning Flash as an application development platform, with special emphasis on video delivery and mobile device applications." From the article: "On Tuesday, the company intends to launch a microsite showing the evolution of Flash over the past 10 years, including video interviews with developers. Those videos will no doubt be played with the Flash Video Player, something many high-profile Web sites, including YouTube, have chosen to use as well. The success of Flash in the next 10 years rides largely on whether leading-edge customers like YouTube will design their Web sites with Flash, Lynch said. Adobe, which gained the Flash technology when it bought Macromedia, is trying to build an 'ecosystem' of developers and partners, he said. "
I find it very difficult to imagine Flash succeeding as an application development platform for a number of reasons:
First of all, with the "web 2.0" trend, the release of MS's ATLAS framework, and google's slow but steady amassing of "online apps" it is clear that the shift towards the Internet as an application platform is inevitable. That being said, as a developer trying to stay ahead of the curve am I more likely to invest my time into learning Flash, its frames, and actionscript or will I focus on building more intricate web apps using Visual Studio and a language that I am already familiar with?
Secondly, Google has proven that the KISS rule applies to web development. I don't want a web tool that has a flashy preloader everytime I click a button, panels flying wildy across the screen, and ambient background music. I just want a solid app that does what I need it to do.
In fact, I quite vocally advocate limiting the use of cars. HIghways are far too clogged, and I can't even ride my bike to work without having a few close calls per day.
People drive far too dangerously and far too often. It's contributing to the slothful nature of people, it's encouraging obesity, and it's overcrowding small roads.
Pedestrians and bicyclists are people too! Don't hit us!
grey wolf
LET FORTRAN DIE!
He's a miracle!
> I'd rather see SVG and other technologies replace flash. And I want a pony.