4 ms·

We already tried that - Java Applets. Silverligt was the same idea. And Flash I guess? All attempts failed in the marketplace. It turns out using higher level s

by olavk 9y ago

We already tried that - Java Applets. Silverligt was the same idea. And Flash I guess? All attempts failed in the marketplace. It turns out using higher level standards like HTML, CSS, URL's etc actually provide a a lot of value.

2sk21 9y ago
I was going to say there same thing - this just seems like java Applets have been reinvented
niftich 9y ago
Obligatory point that Flash didn't fail in the marketplace. Rather, it was wildly popular, so much so that Microsoft eventually felt the need to develop a comparable tech -- Silverlight. Flash on the web faltered rapidly after many years of efforts by Mozilla, Apple, Opera, and associated individuals. They were looking to move the web 'forward' had a high-profile disagreement with W3C, so they started their own standard-setting collaboration to specify HTML5 and associated JS APIs. The blogosphere eagerly awaited the results, which promised to formally bring multimedia and rich interactivity to HTML, without having to use a vendor plugin. When Apple announced that Flash won't be supported on the upcoming first iPhone, it was over. After a few years, when apps came to the iPhone, Adobe failed at marketing the fact that their Flash assets can be compiled into iPhone apps using Adobe AIR. With existing Flash assets effectively relegated to desktop-only, it was only a matter of time before it was pushed out of the standard browser stack. Although later, both Microsoft and Google shipped Adobe's plugin (with better process isolation) together with the browser or the OS, and hooked into their respective auto-updaters, Flash was on its way out.
- loup-vaillant 9y ago
  Seconded. If Flash wasn't proprietary, it would still thrive. It could have displaced JavaScript itself.
  - collyw 9y ago
    There is an open source version Gnash. I installed it on a laptop a few years back and it ran fairly well, but a bit slow compared to the real Flash. Why do you think that didn't take off? Edit: Looking at the wikipedia page I see one reason (though I am not convinced its the reason it didn't take off). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnash_(software)#Adobe_Flash_Player_End-User_License_Agreement https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnash_(software)#Adobe_Flash_P...
    - loup-vaillant 9y ago
      It's not fully compatible. Of course it didn't take off. You want the default application to be free software.
cm2187 9y ago
They didn't fail in the market, they were actually quite popular (maybe not java, but flash definitely). It is just that Apple killed them by not making them run on mobile. That's more of a case of a major player strong forcing the market.

by olavk 9y ago

2sk21 9y ago

I was going to say there same thing - this just seems like java Applets have been reinvented

niftich 9y ago

Obligatory point that Flash didn't fail in the marketplace. Rather, it was wildly popular, so much so that Microsoft eventually felt the need to develop a comparable tech -- Silverlight. Flash on the web faltered rapidly after many years of efforts by Mozilla, Apple, Opera, and associated individuals. They were looking to move the web 'forward' had a high-profile disagreement with W3C, so they started their own standard-setting collaboration to specify HTML5 and associated JS APIs. The blogosphere eagerly awaited the results, which promised to formally bring multimedia and rich interactivity to HTML, without having to use a vendor plugin. When Apple announced that Flash won't be supported on the upcoming first iPhone, it was over. After a few years, when apps came to the iPhone, Adobe failed at marketing the fact that their Flash assets can be compiled into iPhone apps using Adobe AIR. With existing Flash assets effectively relegated to desktop-only, it was only a matter of time before it was pushed out of the standard browser stack. Although later, both Microsoft and Google shipped Adobe's plugin (with better process isolation) together with the browser or the OS, and hooked into their respective auto-updaters, Flash was on its way out.

loup-vaillant 9y ago
Seconded. If Flash wasn't proprietary, it would still thrive. It could have displaced JavaScript itself.
- collyw 9y ago
  There is an open source version Gnash. I installed it on a laptop a few years back and it ran fairly well, but a bit slow compared to the real Flash. Why do you think that didn't take off? Edit: Looking at the wikipedia page I see one reason (though I am not convinced its the reason it didn't take off). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnash_(software)#Adobe_Flash_Player_End-User_License_Agreement https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnash_(software)#Adobe_Flash_P...
  - loup-vaillant 9y ago
    It's not fully compatible. Of course it didn't take off. You want the default application to be free software.

cm2187 9y ago

They didn't fail in the market, they were actually quite popular (maybe not java, but flash definitely). It is just that Apple killed them by not making them run on mobile. That's more of a case of a major player strong forcing the market.