I ususally come by Macrumors to hear about when a suitable replacement for my current-gen macbook is coming, or new OS news and then I head out on my way. I usually avoid the comments because the forums here boil down a *lot* of the time to essentially fan forums.
You however have the dubious honor of being that one post that was just *so* filled with insanity I was compelled to make an account just to respond.
Look at the groups that are switching to html 5 (at least as an option): Youtube, Hulu, CBS, NYT, on and on. There is a strong, strong movement away from Flash.
With the exception of YouTube, you've listed companies or media services that are not offered outside the United States. If Apple is appealing to a global user base, championing networks only some of us can get is a poor marketing decision.
Also, beyond your 5 examples, do you have any statements backing this "strong strong" movement away from Flash? A white paper from an established developer maybe that expresses such gross dissatisfaction with Flash that learning a new language is preferable?
NO other mobile platform runs a full version of Flash.
I dont think anyone said they expected the full flash suite on their Apple products. People just want the ability to view flash video for the most part.
Apple is the company which wants to continue their industry leading innovation and customer satisfaction.
Whats the hourly rate for internalizing and repeating corporate propaganda? This has nothing to do with anything.
They have every right to control the user experience of their devices. If you don't like it, go make your own smart phone.
Honestly, this is where I raged. When you buy a product from a company you own that product, it belongs to you through the miracle of capitalist exchange. If I want to put it in a blender, light it on fire or reverse engineer the code, that is my right as product owner so long as I dont attempt to make a profit off my actions.
They offer us updates and we take them on the good faith that they will be better than the software that we got at time of purchase. The only reason we dont have more options - say the option to watch Vimeo video on iphone - is because we cant do it ourselves. Apple is taking advantage of this fact.
The very statement "if you dont like it, go make your own smart phone" is exactly what Apple has been saying to consumers for years. It is an anti-consumer stance and for you - a paying customer - to be parroting it back as something *good* is beyond tragic. It speaks to an ignorance on your part that serves no one.
They're doing it with a relentless focus on user experience. They've simply determined that Flash is inconsistent with providing the user experience they want to offer.
You honestly believe people sat in a board room and said "we cant put Flash support in" or "we cant do multitasking until OS4" because the user experiene would suffer? Really?
How about this: Apple has determined that Flash is inconsistent with providing sufficient channels for monetization to increase shareholder value. Apple runs a video store, apple controls an entire marketplace of apps and games made with an SDK you must purchase from them. Allowing Flash access undermines their ability to make money from these avenues pure and simple. The only reason YouTube works is because theyre too ubiquitous.
It's not arbitrary at all. Apple has given very clear reasons for doing so - and their consumers apparently agree.
Lazy Flash developers need to learn that the world doesn't owe them a living.
Wait... what?
Apple has never clearly come out and said why Flash isnt supported or addressed the large percentage of their user base that has asked for it or the product reviews that list its absence as a negative.
Apples consumers, beyond apparently people like yourself who are willing to jump to the defense of a corporation, dont "agree" - they begrudgingly accept the situation because theres nothing they can do about it themselves.
Lazy flash developers now? So because they wont convert to the language *you* want them to speak they are somehow inferior? I guess the iCrusades are next right?
html 5 will do virtually everything that Flash will do. Did you see the iAd demo yesterday? Extremely impressive.
html5 will do everything Flash does, its full implementation is also years away and in the meantime migration from Flash to html5 will happen slowly and inconsistently across the net. You know whats more infuriating to the casual user than nothing working? Some things working and others not for no apparent reason. Great marketing for Apple there.
Yes, i saw the iAd demo which has probably been bug tested and run through more than most full code and debuted in a highly controlled environment. Be impressed when its running stable in the wild.
I guess that's why there are 10 times as many apps on the AppStore as on all other mobile platforms put together. And why Apple has 10 times as many portable games available as either PSP or Nintendo DS.
Too bad 90% of that 10x as many are complete crap. Same goes for the games. The app store makes the DS library look like all AAA titles comparing quantity of shovelware alone.
If a large number of Flash apps were out there, people would be blaming Apple for the slow performance and lousy battery life.
Then Apple would just have to say what they've said all along - the app store is generally the wild west and the consumer decides what rises and falls. No one would buy or recommend a poor performing app. And even a poorly coded app has merit if it has a good idea because someone else will come along, code it better and make a mint.
Apple is simply setting guidelines to ensure that their customers have a great experience
No. Apple is telling me what I can and can not do/see on the internet with *my* device. Unacceptable.
Not likely. A huge percentage of pro graphics people are still big Mac fans. Apple would simply step up its development of its pro apps and Adobe would be on the outside looking in.
Not likely. Your "huge percentage" of professionals that are fans would stop working on Apple machines or - blasphemy - boot camp a windows environment. Professionals are interested in getting the most out of the tools they know best to do good work not championing a platform.
