Note to self: remember to use the test database when testing this site ;D
final test - hope
What would an open Flash look like?
The Flash platform today has several open source elements, but the part that remains closed is the player implementation. The player is the part of Flash that holds the features; it loads bitmaps and data, rasterizes vectors and text, composites elements on screen and dispatches timers and input events. Things such as the SWF (flash file format), RTMP, FLV/F4V, AMF, and MCD specs and (ActionScript) virtual machine are already open, but without an open-sourced player, these offerings fall flat.
The argument is that given enough open spec, a company or group could build their own player implementation. While this is true, it's questionable that this logic would be workable in the real world. And while this thinking works for HTML, maintaining multiple variants of Flash while keeping compatibility at a maximum, all while following Adobes closed feature lead and developer tool-chain timelines would be excruciating.
Most people will agree that a multi implementation approach is an awful way to take Flash open; HTML continues to suffer because of this. If we have to have an open Flash, the only people who can make this happen are Adobe. A master implementation would allow for fast feature development and compatibility standard that Flash maintains today while allowing the community and vendors to port and contribute to the platform.
If Flash became open and was still a relevant technology, I can picture a day when Flash is no longer a browser plug-in, but something that is actually part of the HTML spec. I could easily see the canvas tag being used as a Flash context, much in the same way canvas is being used to display WebGL and SVG. You could even have plain-text ActionScript sitting in script tags. Now I'm not proposing that we expose the IP of the world, SWF files will always have to be supported. I'm just trying to paint a picture where Flash can be lightweight inside the browser, because if it's not Flash it'll be something else.
Adobe today is the bottleneck of Flash's future. As computer platforms become more varied, needs become different and wider, Flash will fall behind. If Adobe is to hold onto Flash's relevance, they need to let other people in.
I agree on the awful multi implementation approach. I do not want that too. One of the main reason Flash is an easy target for developers and designers is because it executes and renders near all the same on every platform.
As I said somewhere else, if Flash was opened I'm sure that Adobe with their W3C seats could promote the Flash Player to became a real component in the HTML5 spec, eliminating the need to create any clone of it. I really like this idea.
Personally, I think Adobe's current method with the Open Screen Project is all that is needed. Adobe shares the Flash Player source code with Open Screen Project partners and works to maintain the exact same implementation across a variety of devices. Adobe maintain an open bug and feature database, but ultimately decide on the direction of the Flash Player. This means new features and technology are added quickly to Flash Player, compared to the slow, long, labourous process of open standards.
Do a Google search for "HTML5 is a mess", to see some of the commentary on the problems with the HTML5 spec and the current battle of egos between the W3C and the WHATWG. Here's one of such commentaries:
http://www.cssquirrel.com/2010/01/11/comic-update-the-html5-show-aka-a-mess/
We need Flash to continue to move quickly and be several steps ahead of what is capable inside the browser, rather than adding all sorts of new bottlenecks and slowing down the progress of the Flash Player.
It seems to me that the Flash player would be a perfect candidate for a linux kernel style open source project. There would be levels of commit al the way to release so that the community could fix the things they really care about and submit patches that may or may not get added. This way Adobe could still maintain veto rights and uphold standards while at the same time open it up to experts in the field who actually know how to implement things like http protocols etc. I think this approach could be very beneficial to Flex as well. Heck Adobe might even get some free genius hours out of it.
Good Point Kristofer, thats an ideal solution, then for proprietary libs, they can link them on official releases.
Jarrad, Kristopher if you both think that a good solution, don't forget to sign the petition to open source Flash Player http://www.openplayer.net/.
Alex, I hope you don't care that I post this link here, thanks.
The problem that I see, is that fundamentally, it's difficult to deliver an open source solution that offers the compatibility level Flash delivers. The W3C and browser vendors innovate far more slowly than Flash because it doesn't need the consensus of multiple competing companies. Just look at the W3C's progress, and then also the Iceweasel debacle to see the issues at play.
Adobe have been making many moves towards more open standards with their tools, but unless you can suggest how they keep flash as strong and consistent as it is now, while still being open source, then I don't see it happening any time soon.
I think it's worth noting that Adobe don't actually make any money directly from the Flash Player, they make all their money from authoring tools that publish to a variety of platforms. If they didn't have to spend money on developing a plugin, they'd save a hell of a lot of money.
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