5 ms·

Focusing on the next Linux client

33 points by revorad 15y ago

scrrr 15y ago
1% of all desktop installations might just as well be 10% of all desktop installations by professionals that use their computer for creating things, though. Assuming it were so: Wouldn't that be reason enough for Adobe to target Ubuntu & Co.?
ch0wn 15y ago
> So, with Desktop Linux, we see a basically flat growth > curve hovering around 1%. And since the release of AIR, > we’ve seen only a 0.5% download share for desktop Linux. AIR is horrible under Linux. The last time I checked it, hardly any application was working, functionality like sound and transparency did not work (even though a compositing manager was active) and it required your root password if you wanted to install an app.
- krakensden 15y ago
  I don't think I've ever used an AIR app twice- the experience is always too horrible.
- logicalmike 15y ago
  Balsamiq Mockups has worked perfectly fine for over two years on my Ubuntu install.
  - balsamiq 15y ago
    Speaking of Mockups: we now require Air 2.5, and we don't have short or mid-term plans to switch to requiring 2.7. So I'd say we're good for a while...by the time we'll make the switch there will probably be a new 3rd party distro of Air for Linux that we can leverage. Peldi
    - alfet 15y ago
      That's awesome. Balsamiq with YNAB are the only applications I use (that requiere Adobe Air that is).
- lukeschlather 15y ago
  I've never had an issue with Pandora's AIR client on Ubuntu. Hulu Desktop is kind of a pain, but it's better than using a browser with Flash. (And I first recall using it passably several years ago, so I'm curious what applications you're having issues with.) As for requiring a root password, gksudo worked great for me. (Or are you taking issue with the fact that you can't install AIR apps in userspace?)
  - buster 15y ago
    The Air client is turning my laptop into a jet turbine, the cpu load stays at 100%... insane.. But, in case you didn't know: - There is a native gtk client that works: Pithos - and a commandline client: pianobar
- schrototo 15y ago
  > AIR is horrible under Linux. AIR is horrible everywhere.
- bryanlarsen 15y ago
  I never did get the rdio app working under Linux after much futzing.
mattj 15y ago
This doesn't make any sense. Android IS linux, but only at the lowest level. Given their logic, I'm surprised they're not launching FreeBSD support, cause, you know, iOS runs darwin, which has a bsd subsystem. That being said, re-focusing on js & css output seems like a winning combo.
- samstokes 15y ago
  They're making a snarky point about how silly Linux users are to use an operating system that doesn't have a large market share, and using that to justify dropping Linux support. So, nothing new here.
  - Teckla 15y ago
    Dropping Linux support does seem like a good business decision. All that extra work to support an additional 0.5% to 1% of the market does not seem worth it.
    - samstokes 15y ago
      It's the attitude I was taking issue with, not the decision.
    - revorad 15y ago
      Which is why I heart Dropbox.
simbateman 15y ago
The real problem here is not about the people using Air on linux, its about the big companies that use linux as their continuous integration platform. Those companies will not be able to use Air in the development strategy, even though they might have deployed the app to thousands of windows and mac users. http://www.simb.net/2011/06/15/adobe-abandons-air-for-linux/ http://www.simb.net/2011/06/15/adobe-abandons-air-for-linux/
- SoftwareMaven 15y ago
  If you believe AIR is the right place to deploy your application, I can't believe too many shops are going to say "I can't run my build on Linux so rewrite the app (or choose a different technology for the new app)." More likely, there will be some grumbling from current Linux users as they are forced to migrate to a Mac or Windows (probably more likely, even though the Mac is closer to the previous solution) server, then nothing else will be said and nothing will change.
gallerytungsten 15y ago
Outlined type for body copy on a web page? Are you kidding, Adobe?
mrschwabe 15y ago
An Adobe partnership with Canonical to help make Ubuntu a viable mobile OS competitor to Android would have been far more innovative, intelligent, and superior long term business strategy. Because virtual platforms like Flash and AIR are doomed when they are subject to the iron fist of Apple, Microsoft, and Google. Only a true open platform (not quasi-Google open) is a safe home for them.
xdie 15y ago
Honestly,my first thought was, ``What is Adobe AIR?'' Doesn't sound like much of a loss.
sylvinus 15y ago
I love how there's not one mention of Flash in the article :)

33 points by revorad 15y ago

scrrr 15y ago

1% of all desktop installations might just as well be 10% of all desktop installations by professionals that use their computer for creating things, though. Assuming it were so: Wouldn't that be reason enough for Adobe to target Ubuntu & Co.?

ch0wn 15y ago

> So, with Desktop Linux, we see a basically flat growth > curve hovering around 1%. And since the release of AIR, > we’ve seen only a 0.5% download share for desktop Linux. AIR is horrible under Linux. The last time I checked it, hardly any application was working, functionality like sound and transparency did not work (even though a compositing manager was active) and it required your root password if you wanted to install an app.

krakensden 15y ago
I don't think I've ever used an AIR app twice- the experience is always too horrible.
logicalmike 15y ago
Balsamiq Mockups has worked perfectly fine for over two years on my Ubuntu install.
- balsamiq 15y ago
  Speaking of Mockups: we now require Air 2.5, and we don't have short or mid-term plans to switch to requiring 2.7. So I'd say we're good for a while...by the time we'll make the switch there will probably be a new 3rd party distro of Air for Linux that we can leverage. Peldi
  - alfet 15y ago
    That's awesome. Balsamiq with YNAB are the only applications I use (that requiere Adobe Air that is).
lukeschlather 15y ago
I've never had an issue with Pandora's AIR client on Ubuntu. Hulu Desktop is kind of a pain, but it's better than using a browser with Flash. (And I first recall using it passably several years ago, so I'm curious what applications you're having issues with.) As for requiring a root password, gksudo worked great for me. (Or are you taking issue with the fact that you can't install AIR apps in userspace?)
- buster 15y ago
  The Air client is turning my laptop into a jet turbine, the cpu load stays at 100%... insane.. But, in case you didn't know: - There is a native gtk client that works: Pithos - and a commandline client: pianobar
schrototo 15y ago
> AIR is horrible under Linux. AIR is horrible everywhere.
bryanlarsen 15y ago
I never did get the rdio app working under Linux after much futzing.

mattj 15y ago

This doesn't make any sense. Android IS linux, but only at the lowest level. Given their logic, I'm surprised they're not launching FreeBSD support, cause, you know, iOS runs darwin, which has a bsd subsystem. That being said, re-focusing on js & css output seems like a winning combo.

samstokes 15y ago
They're making a snarky point about how silly Linux users are to use an operating system that doesn't have a large market share, and using that to justify dropping Linux support. So, nothing new here.
- Teckla 15y ago
  Dropping Linux support does seem like a good business decision. All that extra work to support an additional 0.5% to 1% of the market does not seem worth it.
  - samstokes 15y ago
    It's the attitude I was taking issue with, not the decision.
  - revorad 15y ago
    Which is why I heart Dropbox.

simbateman 15y ago

The real problem here is not about the people using Air on linux, its about the big companies that use linux as their continuous integration platform. Those companies will not be able to use Air in the development strategy, even though they might have deployed the app to thousands of windows and mac users. http://www.simb.net/2011/06/15/adobe-abandons-air-for-linux/ http://www.simb.net/2011/06/15/adobe-abandons-air-for-linux/

SoftwareMaven 15y ago
If you believe AIR is the right place to deploy your application, I can't believe too many shops are going to say "I can't run my build on Linux so rewrite the app (or choose a different technology for the new app)." More likely, there will be some grumbling from current Linux users as they are forced to migrate to a Mac or Windows (probably more likely, even though the Mac is closer to the previous solution) server, then nothing else will be said and nothing will change.

gallerytungsten 15y ago

Outlined type for body copy on a web page? Are you kidding, Adobe?

mrschwabe 15y ago

An Adobe partnership with Canonical to help make Ubuntu a viable mobile OS competitor to Android would have been far more innovative, intelligent, and superior long term business strategy. Because virtual platforms like Flash and AIR are doomed when they are subject to the iron fist of Apple, Microsoft, and Google. Only a true open platform (not quasi-Google open) is a safe home for them.

xdie 15y ago

Honestly,my first thought was, ``What is Adobe AIR?'' Doesn't sound like much of a loss.

sylvinus 15y ago

I love how there's not one mention of Flash in the article :)