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Scribd Switches To HTML5

drfreak writes "This story from OSNews describes Scribd, a site for uploading and reading documents, switching from Flash to HTML5. The major reason for the decision was that HTML5 supports all the major points of the site's previous functionality, so they saw no point in using Flash any more. The big improvement in the rollout is that documents are now first-class citizens of HTML and no longer need to sit in a Flash 'window.'"

8 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. Wow by OrwellianLurker · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Completely blank page (scribd) until I enabled flash. I can't stand sites that have the most basic shit (plain text, etc) in flash. How is that even necessary? Good move getting off that Flash addiction.

    --
    'Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.' - Mao Tse-tung
  2. Re:So What? by 0123456 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What the hell does some random site changing browser tech have to do with the rest of the 97 percent of the computing world that doesn't give a damn about Apple and their products?

    Just because we don't care about Apple, that doesn't mean that we want Flash; I'll celebrate the day I can finally uninstall that bloated swamp of security holes from all my PCs.

  3. Scribd adds what value, exactly? by Animats · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Scribd is more of a pain than a useful tool. It's basically an online PDF viewer, one which makes content non-downloadable. It takes away functionality; you can't select and cut text. So it's really more a form of DRM than anything else.

    You can get most of the same effect by rendering your document to PDF with the page size set to "trade paperback".

  4. "We" just did that. by SuperKendall · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Can we quit calling everything that uses HTML5 video "HTML5"?

    I'd be happy to but... what the hell are you talking about"

    Scribd is all documents, all the time. As in things you read?

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  5. Better for Android too. by SuperKendall · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This is a story targeted at the hardcore Apple Hipster Douchebags

    I wasn't aware Android users were "Apple Hipster Douchebags".

    Because after all, this means all Android users will be able to use Scribd now. Not just the select few with the very latest devices WHEN Flash support arrives on Android.

    After all, these are DOCUMENTS we are talking about. Why should they not be easily readable on any mobile device, not just those few that support Flash (which currently is none).

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  6. Re:So What? by mike260 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Good thing there's competition in the browser space then, innit?

  7. Re:So What? by dilvish_the_damned · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Its a poignant piece because of the ipad and Apples refusal to allow Flash. Its timely because it signals the death of Flash, and appropriate because HTML5 is really here, not vapor, and major sites are moving to HTML5.

    I am not an Adobe hater by any means, I wish them well. I have no love of Flash, its always been too buggy and too bloated to match its usefulness. I am fairly certain you do not have to like Apple or be a fanboy to recognize this. You just have to be realistic. Flash has always been crap.

    And since you love Flash everything you say will be crap too.

    --Dilvish

    --
    I think you underestimate just how much I just dont care.
  8. Re:That's why they're doing HTML5. by Hurricane78 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    But what is the point of Scribd? (Hint: There is absolutely none.)
    Just replace every link to Scribd with the link to the PDF, and you’re good.
    Oh, wait, that’s actually easy to do with Greasemonkey. Except that Scribd still requires you to log in, and get a session id to download it. So it’s still pointless DRM / obfuscation.

    --
    Any sufficiently advanced intelligence is indistinguishable from stupidity.