Flash can do both vector and bitmap graphics (which is BTW much faster than current canvas implementations, even in fast browsers like Chrome [1]). Adobe used

Flash can do both vector and bitmap graphics (which is BTW much faster than current canvas implementations, even in fast browsers like Chrome [1]). Adobe used canvas probably because you can redo vector graphics with a decent performance in canvas, while it doesn't work the other way around. Flash exporter to SVG could be marginally better for vector parts of what Flash can do, but it would lose all bitmap capabilities, while Flash exporter to canvas can potentially replicate everything what Flash can do. ---- [1] Flash bitmap graphics is fast enough to do pretty decent full-screen 3d graphics with textures and shading: http://away3d.com/ http://away3d.com/ http://dailypv3d.wordpress.com/ http://dailypv3d.wordpress.com/