Comparison of HTML5 and Flash: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:23, 27 December 2010

Revision as of 03:34, 27 December 2010

Line 45:

HTML5 is the natural progression from XHTML, which continues to be the backbone of all websites. As such, once completed, it will be the standard for which all future websites must use. Because of this, support for it, both in terms of development and consumption, will be strong. However, the markup language is still very young. Currently, HTML5 is not supported universally or fully by all browsers and there are not many websites putting its available features to use.<ref>"HTML 5 Demos and Examples". Web. 10 Dec 2010. http://html5demos.com/</ref> HTML5 is in draft state at the time of writing and contains many bugs.<ref>"Bug/Issue Tracking Service." W3C. 11 Dec 2010. Web. 10 Dec 2010. http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/buglist.cgi?query_format=advanced&short_desc_type=allwordssubstr&short_desc=&product=HTML+WG&long_desc_type=allwordssubstr&long_desc=&bug_file_loc_type=allwordssubstr&bug_file_loc=&status_whiteboard_type=allwordssubstr&status_whiteboard=&keywords_type=allwords&keywords=&bug_status=UNCONFIRMED&bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_status=REOPENED&emailassigned_to1=1&emailtype1=exact&email1=ian%40hixie.ch&emailtype2=substring&email2=&bugidtype=include&bug_id=&votes=&chfieldfrom=&chfieldto=Now&chfieldvalue=&cmdtype=doit&order=Reuse+same+sort+as+last+time&field0-0-0=noop&type0-0-0=noop&value0-0-0=</ref>

== ControversiesApple ==

As of April 2010 [[Apple]] did not support Flash on the [[iPhone]], [[iPad]], or [[iPod]], having adopted [[HTML5]] instead.<ref name="jobs_thoughts_on_flash">{{cite web

=== Conflicts with Apple ===

|url=http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/

In January of 2007, Apple released the first generation iPhone with its innovative iPhone OS operating system, currently known as iOS. Although the iOS web browser renders most websites properly, it cannot load Flash files. Subsequent iPhone releases and other iDevices (iPod Touch and iPad) continue to lack Flash support, leading proponents of Adobe software to argue that the Apple Corporation has banned Flash from their mobile devices in order to promote their App Store. By blocking specific content from their devices and providing alternatives that benefits the company, Apple has been accused of being proprietary. Popular Flash games, such as Bejeweled and Plants vs. Zombies, are accessible for free on computers and Flash-ready devices, but iDevice users must download them for a fee.

|title=Thoughts on Flash

|last=Jobs

|first=Steve

|authorlink=Steve Jobs

|date=April 2010

|publisher=Apple Inc.

|accessdate=May 1, 2010

}}</ref><ref name="nyt_video">{{cite news

|last=Bilton

|first=Nick

|Title=IPad Can’t Play Flash Video, but It May Not Matter

|newspaper = [[The New York Times]]

|date = January 31, 2010

|accessdate=December 26, 2010

}}</ref> Steve Jobs noted that Flash is not an [[open standard]]: it is controlled by [[Adobe]] whereas HTML5 is controlled by a [[standards organization|standards committee]].<ref name="jobs_thoughts_on_flash"/>

Despite Job’sJobs' denouncement of Flash, in September of 2010, Apple lifted some of its App development restrictions. Now, “developers can use Flash to develop your apps, and then compile them to work on the iPhone and iPad with a tool called Adobe Packager”.<ref>Sorrel, Charlie. "Apple Eases App Development Rules, Adobe Surges." Wired. Wired, 2010. Web. 12 Sept. 2010.</ref> Adobe Packager “offers Flash developers a fast and efficient method to reuse existing code from ActionScript 3 projects to deliver native applications on iOS devices” (Adobe Labs). This advancement means that developers can create Flash applications for Apple mobile devices. However, Flash web content still cannot be viewed.

In his statement entitled “Thoughts on Flash,” Jobs identifies his official reasoning for Apple not supporting Flash.<ref>Jobs, Steve. "Thoughts on Flash." Apple. Apr. 2010. Web. 22 Oct. 2010. http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/</ref> He believes that the web should be open source and progress should not have to depend on Adobe:

:“While Adobe’s Flash products are widely available, this does not mean they are open, since they are controlled entirely by Adobe… Adobe’s Flash products are 100% proprietary... and Adobe has sole authority as to their future enhancement”

Jobs further explains that iDevices relies on their multi-touch interfaces and thus does not have a mouse-over state, which Flash is reliant on. If Flash were to be available on Apple mobile devices, users would be unable to correctly access and interact with certain elements due to the lack of appropriate functionality.

Despite Job’s denouncement of Flash, in September of 2010, Apple lifted some of its App development restrictions. Now, “developers can use Flash to develop your apps, and then compile them to work on the iPhone and iPad with a tool called Adobe Packager”.<ref>Sorrel, Charlie. "Apple Eases App Development Rules, Adobe Surges." Wired. Wired, 2010. Web. 12 Sept. 2010.</ref> Adobe Packager “offers Flash developers a fast and efficient method to reuse existing code from ActionScript 3 projects to deliver native applications on iOS devices” (Adobe Labs). This advancement means that developers can create Flash applications for Apple mobile devices. However, Flash web content still cannot be viewed.

==References==