Macromedia releasing source to Flash player

yoz writes "Macromedia says it will release the source code to the Flash player when Flash 4 comes out in June, according to this press release. However, it's unlikely to be an Open Source license. "

Comments

Re:Open sourcing Macromedia

[K.]

The file specification they released for Flash
was incomplete. The parser source code they
released was buggy. They've been promising an SDK
forever. Basically, they've been stringing along
the open standards-loving Web community so as to
prevent a real open standard from getting off
the ground, IMHO.

That said, they may have read the writing on the
wall. And it is a pretty decent format - if only
it were more accessible programmatically.

K.
-
How come there's an "open source" entry in the
Jargon File, when there isn't a "free software" one?

Vaporware pressrooms

[Chexum]

I for one am getting quite fed up with the current MS-y trend of announcements that "we will have it soon". Here's my advice: when it is source, even open-source, just wait quietly until it IS available. If we could wait for it, you also could wait with the announcement.

It sounds like a good marketing stunt to get press attention two times, once for announcement, and once for release, but refuse the temptation, it's having the possibility that the announced product will be much inferior than waited for. It's also getting the style "people, get off my way, I'm coming", and stopping perfectly acceptable, and well working other projects with a similar goal.

Re:Vaporware pressrooms

[ravenskana]

when it is source, even open-source, just wait quietly until it IS available.

That doesn't sound like a bad idea, on the surface. However, look at Apple: they *did* "wait quietly", working with people in the background, and when they announced, the source was there.

And a lot of people were upset with this.

If Macromedia makes an announcement now, before the source is released (and more significantly, before their *license*), then interested parties can step forward and say under what the best terms are for the release.

It would be nice if this was an explicit intention of the announcing party: "Macromedia will relase the source on (enter date here) and anyone interested should send comments to (insert name of organizer here)."

Macromedia's hand is forced

[jetson123]

On balance, it's probably good that this source is becoming available (although the free Flash player for Linux works quite well already).

But the motivation for Macromedia is clear: the W3 is developing XML-based graphics standards and executable content in the form of Java (and ActiveX, if you must) also provides better and better graphics (Java 2 has antialiasing, better fonts, and a much better imaging model than earlier versions).

Macromedia has a big lead and advantage in authoring and server tools for Flash, and the longer they can keep Flash on the web, the more money they will make. When other formats will become more widespread, they will only be one among many vendors, with no particular lead or advantage.

I hope the release of Flash source won't preempt the adoption of the next generation of graphics formats. The XML-based formats are much easier to use for dynamic generation of graphical content from any scripting language (no need to buy expensive tools from Macromedia), and Java 2, once it is in browsers, will allow much better interactivity.

Re:There is already a GOOD open source flash playe

[Anonymous Coward]

http://www.geocities .com/TimesSquare/Labyrinth/5084/flash.html

Re: corrected email

[Anonymous Coward]

Typo. Try flash_source@macromedia.com, I believe.

There is already a GOOD open source flash player

[Anonymous Coward]

As the subject says... Macromedia opened up their specs a long time ago, and has even provided support to the guy who wrote it. It is also written in a VERY portable manner, with the result that it has even been ported to the Amiga, and other almost dead platforms. It runs great under Netscape on Linux.

Possible link of interest

[Thornae]

After MM released their (buggy) specs for the Flash file format (ooh: alliteration), some people got together to get the OpenSWF project going. (Slightly) More info at http://www.openswf.org/

ÐÆ

Re:Open sourcing Macromedia

[toastman]

Well maybe if you had read the article before you posted, you'd understand how Macromedia actually stands on the open souce issue. It seems to me that the company is simply using open source to increase their market share. By releasing their source code, they know that more and more developers will do the work of creating quality interfaces for them...

Open sourcing Macromedia

[dface]

Anybody know how Macromedia actually stands on the open source issue? Seeing as how they are a big imaging player, I think it would be a big victory to get them to open source something...