Hear that wimper? Gnash just breathed its last breath
http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/28/2907327/adobe-flash-11-2-air-3-2-features
So I noticed the other day that Adobe Flash 11.2 and newest version of Adobe AIR were released. GNU/Linux users aren't getting any more updates for AIR but still get updates to Flash for now. Gnash has tried to hard to be like Flash but with newer versions of the Flash plugin, it will be harder and harder to mimic even the basic features from here on.
What is happening with Flash 11.2 is that Adobe wants to take Flash out of the stereotype of being a video player and simple games player. They want to run full games running on it in a browser. I'm not talking Angry Birds, but the same engines that run on the Xbox 360 and PS3 like the Unreal Engine.
Oh and Adobe will be taking a cut if your Flash application exceeds $50,000 in revenue. Want to bring Call of Duty to the web browser in Flash? It may be possible but Adobe wants some of the pie.
"Adobe is incentivizing Flash 11.2's premium features by promising not to charge developers to use them until an app reaches $50,000 in revenue. From that point forward, nine percent of your app's revenue goes to Adobe, which keeps an eye on your finances through periodical reports it collects from developers who choose to use Flash's new premium features. AIR apps using premium features won't get taxed at all. These new terms go into effect on August 1st, 2012."
I am a translator!
Does that qualify as SaaS? Because then we can just ignore it out of ethical reasons. I hope so, because it sounds quite difficult trying to make such games work with gnash on a platform that often has difficulties with 3D acceleration...
I say forget about trying- this is clearly where ethical people and Adobe
part ways, if not well into the past.It is extremely wasteful "technology"
anyways.
Adobe confuses me. They are now pushing to transform Flash into a fully
featured video game engine that runs in the browser. Here is where I get
confused:
1. Didn't Adobe once say they were going to scale back in favor of HTML5?
2. iPhone/iPad doesn't support it and they are ending support for Android.
3. PC gaming industry is "dying" in favor of consoles.
4. Focus is on Windows and Mac even though they are getting replaced by
smartphones and tablets in the consumer market.
5. Linux support will be phased out and only way is through non-free Chrome
plugin.
My problem with Flash is that it is considered essential for many people to
watch videos and for their kids to play games. Everything I seem to go on
requires it and it is near impossible to consume any video without it. Gnash
is still far off but average people cannot consume ESPN. It is also essential
for some students to use their coursework. By having Flash on Linux was nice
to have as a crutch but even that is getting taken away.
For average people who may have switched from Windows to Ubuntu or another
Linux, the transition was much easier due to both Java (OpenJDK and Orace)
and Flash having support. I applaud Oracle for supplying OpenJDK and also for
RedHat to create IcedTea. It would be nice if Adobe went down that same
route, but their revenue depends on their proprietary products and providing
DRM tools to media companies.
Its just unfair when the majority of sites require this Flash plugin and we
are handcuffed by Adobe to not only provide the libraries but make sure it
works. It is really hard when kids get fed advertisements on TV for some cool
game on a website and that website forces its users to be subserviant to that
company. I made a post about this subject already here and its quite a sore
subject.
I just wished that someone took Adobe to court over Flash for making it as
essential for the web as JPEG and JavaScript, yet they control the destiny.
I say forget about trying- this is clearly where ethical people and Adobe part ways, if not well into the past.It is extremely wasteful "technology" anyways.
Adobe confuses me. They are now pushing to transform Flash into a fully featured video game engine that runs in the browser. Here is where I get confused:
1. Didn't Adobe once say they were going to scale back in favor of HTML5?
2. iPhone/iPad doesn't support it and they are ending support for Android.
3. PC gaming industry is "dying" in favor of consoles.
4. Focus is on Windows and Mac even though they are getting replaced by smartphones and tablets in the consumer market.
5. Linux support will be phased out and only way is through non-free Chrome plugin.
My problem with Flash is that it is considered essential for many people to watch videos and for their kids to play games. Everything I seem to go on requires it and it is near impossible to consume any video without it. Gnash is still far off but average people cannot consume ESPN. It is also essential for some students to use their coursework. By having Flash on Linux was nice to have as a crutch but even that is getting taken away.
For average people who may have switched from Windows to Ubuntu or another Linux, the transition was much easier due to both Java (OpenJDK and Orace) and Flash having support. I applaud Oracle for supplying OpenJDK and also for RedHat to create IcedTea. It would be nice if Adobe went down that same route, but their revenue depends on their proprietary products and providing DRM tools to media companies.
Its just unfair when the majority of sites require this Flash plugin and we are handcuffed by Adobe to not only provide the libraries but make sure it works. It is really hard when kids get fed advertisements on TV for some cool game on a website and that website forces its users to be subserviant to that company. I made a post about this subject already here and its quite a sore subject.
I just wished that someone took Adobe to court over Flash for making it as essential for the web as JPEG and JavaScript, yet they control the destiny.