To those of you thinking that HTML 5 will save you from flash

[foiden]

Universities is one angle to see what computer languages would survive or not. However, they've taught a lot of languages, as their main, that quickly cease to be used everywhere. They used to all teach uniformly, the C programming language. However, even graduating from that, you'd be hard pressed to find much employment that actually used C programming save a select few fields. C++ as well. It took until they eventually migrated to Java before they had one that stuck for a number of programming fields. Problem is, a good number of people had their entire college program done during the C days before Java was even introduced to the curriculum. Oh well.

Still, I see flash sticking around for a while, but HTML5 will continue to grow. Easy authoring tools are the biggest advantage flash has, right now. Remember, it's not the love of Flash that got its fame, it's really the authoring tools. If Flash didn't have a suite that is *programming for dummies*, it wouldn't have gotten such support in the first place.

 

[azentropy]

You have to be naive as hell to think that flash is going to die. Every university in the country has courses that teach flash programming and design. There are people whos careers are to use flash.

All languages die. I've made a living programming in various languages at times which are all now "dead" or dying - Pascal, HyperTalk/HyperCard, COBOL, Fortran etc. You have to be naive as hell to think that they don't!

 

[s15119]

Flash is Dead = Long Live Flash.

Seriously tho - how can anyone that knows about web technologies like flash?

A. They don't

 

[JeepGuy]

You have to be naive as hell to think that flash is going to die. Every university in the country has courses that teach flash programming and design. .

schools are always behind with what is happening in the real world, they are slow to react and next year they will be offering HTML5 programing.

 

[falconeight]

I am no computer expert, but I know flash is a load of donkey doo.

 

[ctbear]

Yes you can. Go into whatever app has what you want to attach and you can mail whatever you want. I can send pictures, documents, even paintings done in brushes.

That is the exact reason why having no accessible file system is not a good idea. Why do I have to open another app when I want to send an email? What if I need to attach multiple files that I have been working on different apps?

 

[foiden]

If you had to do that, then you are using the iPad as a major content producer, like a laptop (which in itself is a feature rarely used by the common public), and these weren't designed as primary content producers. So in this case, you simply mail one at a time.

Though it is feasible to have an app like goodreader, for which you can copy a repository of the files you'd like to keep together, so you can always mail them all together. It's sort of like having an app be a file system. So technically a good solution is only an
App away. Apple wouldn't have to write it.

 

[neiltc13]

It still surprises me every time I see people talking about "HTML5" when what they really mean is a combination of HTML, CSS, JavaScript and often some server side code written in the likes of PHP, Java or Perl.

The reality is that HTML5 alone cannot do anything close to what Flash can. A little bit of local storage and the ability to draw squares on the screen is not a match for Flash.

HTML5 also can't deliver DRM video, meaning that we either have to wait for content providers to drop this requirement (not going to happen) or live with it. I'm yet to see any viable alternative to Flash for this purpose. It really frustrates me that I can't view the video content from sites like BBC News and Jay Leno's Garage on my iPad.

Flash also remains the single best way to ensure consistency across multiple devices. Your Flash object will look the same on Windows, Mac OS, Android etc because there is no variance in the program that is running the compiled code.

FWIW - the first point, about client side execution is somewhat important. Flash is great because the code delivered to users is compiled and the user can't simply view the source code and steal everything.

 

[Rg2005]

I mean the ability to access files anywhere in the system. I can go online and download any type of file and save it in any folder. I can open folders cut/paste them and then reupload files through the browser. You can't do any of this on iOS and it sucks tremendously. The only files you can work with on iOS are pictures and music I believe at least without third party apps.

Jailbreak your iPad then because you can do everything you just said. And any proficient android user can easily utilise a jailbroken iOS device without any problems so you shouldn't really have an excuse not to do it.

And correct me if I'm wrong but don't you use a bunch of third party apps to do all that stuff on an android device.

 

[ctbear]

If you had to do that, then you are using the iPad as a major content producer, like a laptop (which in itself is a feature rarely used by the common public), and these weren't designed as primary content producers. So in this case, you simply mail one at a time.

Though it is feasible to have an app like goodreader, for which you can copy a repository of the files you'd like to keep together, so you can always mail them all together. It's sort of like having an app be a file system. So technically a good solution is only an
App away. Apple wouldn't have to write it.

With all this "post-PC era" talk by Apple, I would say it's pretty relevant.
A central repository for all apps might work, but it is Apple we are talking about, so....nope.

 

[Photics]

The reality is that HTML5 alone cannot do anything close to what Flash can. A little bit of local storage and the ability to draw squares on the screen is not a match for Flash.

Here's a little glimpse of the future... http://gamesalad.com/arcade

Those games are running in HTML 5!

It was made with GameSalad, which has two problems — it's beta and it's restrictive. You can't use the software to export to HTML 5. Currently, the game has to be hosted on GameSalad.com to use the HTML 5 publishing option. If they simply allowed exporting, let the project be standalone, then it would be an excellent replacement to Flash.

And even if GameSalad drops the ball with HTML 5, there's Stencyl... which also seems to be planning HTML 5 support. Right now, Stencyl is for creating Flash games... but if it's moving to Apps and HTML 5 too... that's a clear warning sign for Flash.

But the reality that Flash is in big trouble is clear with one link...
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/wallaby/

I liked Flash... during the last two decades... it had a good run, but it looks like HTML 5 will be the successor.

 

[foiden]

With all this "post-PC era" talk by Apple, I would say it's pretty relevant.
A central repository for all apps might work, but it is Apple we are talking about, so....nope.

Alas, you're putting extra words in. The iPad was never mentioned to be a replacement for a full blown laptop or desktop for everybody. What's post-PC is that casuals (which make up the vast majority) are going to see less reason to own a computer when they really don't want to do as much with one, or have to bother to learn all the in and outs people have to learn to use a computer well.

More people on this site are the computer tech-savvy folks who spent their time and years to use computers as computers. So of course, here we'll see more folks wanting every electronic device (big or small) to do the same thing a full-blown computer does, and with the same learning curve. It's why the iPad is the device I can hand over to my mom, tell her that you launch apps by touching them, and that this button down here takes her back out of the app she's in. Learning curve over. Anything else, and it's way more daunting to use. and with a lot more *important* stuff tucked away requiring a full course worth of study on how the darn thing works.

*But alas, HTML5 has a way to go. It still can't generate sound cues to actions like Flash does, so games made with that technology collection can't produce sound. Just wished Flash supported more devices better. And I don't mean iOS. I mean, flash kind of sucked for consoles because then it is up to the console manufacturer to constantly work with adobe to keep their browsers updated with the latest flash. So while flash used to be a nice addition to the browser (years ago), it's nigh useless now because nearly everything requires the latest flash releases to run and sadly, unless you're working on a computer and perhaps android, you're almost always left in the dark when it comes to Flash. Though because of how flash is installed on computers, it's the main platform for which it is easy to keep flash current. They really haven't devised a good strategy for doing so for every other platform. A technology that is built into the browsers, like HTML 5, has this advantage that the distribution problems are solved and everybody can keep up with the tech without having to rely on the whims of a third party and individual negotiations to keep your browser working. Updates would mainly simply make things work better, not cease previous releases from using the content completely.

 

[qtx43]

Yes you can. Go into whatever app has what you want to attach and you can mail whatever you want. I can send pictures, documents, even paintings done in brushes.

Yes, but it,s still kind of a mess. For example, I could use Atomic browser to download a file (any file), which is great. But it has it's own independent file system. Now I want to open that file, say a text file, in a text editor, and I can do that from the web browser. But now I have 2 copies in 2 independent file systems. Or I could hook up to my computer and iTunes and move things around. But then I prefer reading it in goodreader or ibooks. But still want to edit it more later. There's no substitute (so far) for a file system at the OS level where any app can access the same file in a consistent way. Of course that can have its own problems.