Flash is not for mobile
Flash worshippers can say all they want:
- We could already play games for many years;
- We could do these things across all platforms;
- A browser without Flash is crippled;
- html5 can't do what Flash does;
- SJ should at least give us the option;
1.) Let me just first state that this demo proves that SJ is not blocking Flash because of the App Store. In contrary, he is hoping that these games and applications are going to and can be developed by others. So you can't use that point anymore, and you haven't on this thread, so we mutually agree.
2.) You may have been able to play games for many years on Flash. But that was because, processor power was not an issue, battery life neither or less, no multi-touch was used as a way to operate the web and bandwidth wasn't a problem either.
But now we have mobile devices where the above mentioned points are an issue and therefore call for a more efficient platform. Adobe could have changed their platform to overcome those issues but they couldn't/didn't.
3.) As others already noted, Flash is not cross platform as it doesn't run on Symbian, WM, WebOS, RIM and iPhone OS. There are some lite versions that are in the market but they don't do full Flash. Maybe Flash worshippers have been living in a carton box all the time. But we have some more platforms besides our usual desk-/laptop platforms, and flash does not run (well) on those platforms. Html5 will be supported by all (most) platforms even MS has said that IE9 will support html5. That is Firefox, Chrome, Safari, IE, Opera etc
4.) "A browser without Flash is crippled". In other words, you are saying that people that want to enjoy a certain website that requires Flash can't visit that website. Their basic browser is not sufficient and that they should go to adobe's website, download some software and install the downloaded software. Software that causes many of the browser crashes experienced. Software that allows for hackers to compromise security and that doesn't run (well) on mobile platforms. I would conclude that, Flash cripples a browser, Flash programmers haven't pushed (complained to) Adobe enough to improve their platform, other companies didn't develop alternatives (until recently) and that Adobe hasn't been on top of the latest developments.
5.) Html5 can't do what Flash does. Here we do agree. But I would like to change the first sentence just ever so slightly. Html5 can't do what Flash does YET. Before we heard that it could only do video. Now Apple shows some other examples of what you could do with html5. Of course it's not finished yet and it needs some polishing. But you can't ignore the fact that it's not only for video and that it has been improved a lot since html5 was first supported in Safari.
6.) Apple is not the one the company created Flash. SJ repeatedly asked Adobe to come with a good (stable, energy friendly and secure) version. But Adobe never did. So Apple can't give you an option that is not even there. Maybe you are tech savvy enough to understand that it isn't Apples fault that the browser crashes, the page scrolls slow and that the iPhone needs rebooting more often. But most users don't.
Sure, Flash will still be around for some time and maybe forever (whatever that means). But depending on what Adobe does, Flash will either stay a valid alternative to html5 or html5 will be developed to the point where Flash is no longer an attractive platform to build website components with.
Just my $0.02
