Flash: The Next Open Source Debate?

Posted by Scott Delap on Jan 04, 2007 11:27 AM

Community

Java

Topics

Open Source

Tags

Flash

With Java open sourced and Microsoft unlikely to start open sourcing their software stack anytime soon, Flash stands and one of the most widely used technologies driving the internet which is not open source. Duane Nickull has written a starting point for the debate. In summary he asks what does open flash mean to developers. In Nickull's experience open means:

• No lock in
• Integration
• Leveraging existing skills
• Ability to fix bugs/issues without depending on a vendor.

Nickull also references a post made by David Mendels of Adobe in relation to the issue. Among the points of Mendels he summaries:

1. The Flash programming language (ActionScript) is 100% ECMASCript, a standard with multiple implementations and is open. You can script using ActionScript with a plain old text editor.
   
2. The internal Flash Player VM, “Tamarin” is an open source project run by the Mozilla foundation (donated by Adobe).
3. The Flash file format, *.SWF is a published format.
4. The Flash Player is available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Playstation, Nintendo Wii, Symbion, and many other platforms.
5. An SDK for building, compiling, debugging Flash applications is available for free on Mac, Windows and Linux
6. There is a very active Open Source community around the Flash runtime. For better or worse (I do work for Adobe -;) many many people take full advantage of the Flash Player without using any commercial products from Adobe (or anyone belse). See http://www.osflash.org/ to get a good view of this.
7. Flash itself makes use of several standards such as JPG, AVI, GIF and PNG's as outlined here.
   

All of this raises the question "Is Flash Open Enough?".  This same question was asked of Java for many years before the its open sourcing in 2006.

1. Back to top

   It doesn't matter

   Jan 4, 2007 12:49 PM by Robert McIntosh

   I think David makes some good points and to honest I don't think it makes that much difference to developers. The only real reason to open source Flash as a whole would be to appease a community that just has to have their tools open sourced. I would rather see focus on easier use of development than anything else. Building a typical corporate application in Flash is a whole different way of thinking. Maybe the toolset needs improvement in this area or whatever, but open sourcing it isn't going to help the development community as a whole. What it will do in its favor is generate publicity and possibly support from the developer community which would be a good thing.

   Reply

2. Back to top

   Re: It doesn't matter

   Jan 4, 2007 10:57 PM by Jonathan Allen

   I think David makes some good points and to honest I don't think it makes that much difference to developers. The only real reason to open source Flash as a whole would be to appease a community that just has to have their tools open sourced.

   I agree with you there. OpenSource hasn't changed my day to day work one bit, but good solid tools have.

   Reply

3. Back to top

   Re: It doesn't matter

   Jan 5, 2007 11:38 AM by Floyd Marinescu

   Agreed. I think flash is so ubiquitous that it is practically speaking as 'standard' as Ajax. Flex however might benefit from being open sourced, if only to bring a wider community to adopt it. Floyd

   Reply

4. Back to top

   Open Flash means different things to different people

   Jan 5, 2007 12:49 PM by Ivo Emanuel Gonçalves

   As some have pointed out already, open flash will mean little to those who use the official Flash IDE from Adobe. However, to Linux users, to open source programmers, and even the average geek, it will mean a lot. It will be important. Flash is a technology that provides the same results in any browser and any hardware. That has a lot of advantages in the so-called Web 2.0 era, but people will rather stay away from it, because right now it's a proprietary format. So, opening Flash will be good for us and Adobe. Mr. Delap, you say you are an Adobe employee. Are you working on Flash development? Could you inform your co-workers and the department chief that we, users, would like to have an Open Flash, and not only that, we'd like that Flash would be compatible with Ogg media formats like Theora, Vorbis, Speex and FLAC. It's very annoying not being able to create an audio/video player in Flash that can work with those formats. Thank you for your attention.

   Reply

5. Back to top

   Re: Open Flash means different things to different people

   Jan 8, 2007 1:42 AM by Scott Delap

   For the record I am not an employee of Adobe. I'm sure they read our news discussions and will take your suggestions into consideration however.

   Reply

6. Back to top

   Tools

   Jan 8, 2007 2:25 PM by Matt Giacomini

   I develop flash applications and could care less if flash was open sourced. I do however wish they had a better tool. Let me preface what I'm about to say with the fact that I develop my flash applications using 100% actionscript, and do not rely on any of the freehand tools in the flash designer. With that being said I think the flash designer stinks, I mean really sticks, as in affects my productivity big time. For me developing flash in eclipse would be great. The current open source alternatives haven't worked for me as I need access to the latest and greatest flash object classes (otherwise I surly would not spend another minute in the flash designer). All I need is syntax highlighting and an up to date integrated compiler.

   Reply

7. Back to top

   t doesn't matter

   Jun 6, 2008 5:28 AM by flameme yamam

   wow power leveling wow powerleveling world of warcraft power leveling ffxi power leveling ffxi powerleveling ffxi ffxi gil age of conan lotro powerleveling lotro power leveling lotro gold

   Reply

8. Back to top

   FFFF

   Jul 13, 2008 8:24 PM by ffff dddd

   powerleveling wow powerleveling world of warcraft power leveling 汽车空调 电磁阀 runescape money rs2 money wow gold 中国福利彩票 双色球 印刷机械 液压机 汽摩塑料配件 塑料酒瓶包装 塑料件喷漆 涂布机 分切机 粉末冶金 枕式包装机 纸巾机 汽车水箱 汽车散热器 汽车暖风 汽车减震器 shock absorber powerleveling wow powerleveling world of warcraft powerleveling 气动马达 气动搅拌机 briefcase 包装机械 密炼机 汽车离合器 卡纸覆面机 液压机 铝型材 捣头机 激光礼品 鞋业 环保空调 吹膜机 工装夹具
   吹膜机 锻件 佛像 香炉 法器 上海翻译公司 餐饮软件 google排名 google左侧排名 google排名 plastic machine packing machine runescape gold rs2 gold thermoforming machine bag making machine film coextrusion machine pvc casting film machine pvc hot shrinkable film extrusion machine tungsten carbide tungsten plate tungsten electrode tungsten wire tungsten alloy tungsten rod tungsten product molybdenum sheet molybdenum product molybdenum wire molybdenum rod thermoforming machine thermoforming Equipment Plastic Machinery Plastic Thermoforming Machine Plastic Thermoforming Machinery Plastic Machine jordan shoes prada shoes Gucci shoes adidas shoes nike shoes ugg boots evisu jeans true religion jeans Gucci handbags lv handbags ed hardy new era caps 反应釜 真空干燥箱 提取罐 酒精回收塔 不锈钢储罐
   包装带设备 模切机 压痕机 切纸机 压纹机 上光机,过油上光机,开槽机,V槽机,折盒机 开槽机 V槽机 折盒机 覆膜机 覆面机 气动马达 气动搅拌机 制袋机 手套机 收卷机 吹膜机 连线机 粉碎机 脱水机 搅拌机 造粒机 团粒机 卷绕机 拉丝机 织带机 包覆丝机 圆织机 裁料机 冲口机 下料机 压合机 纸杯机 纸碗机 纸碟机 热成型机 片材机 制杯机 牵引机 压底机 挤出机 冲压机 包装机 贴窗机 涂胶机 信封机 捆扎机 打包机 切袋机 喷码机 刻字机 打标机 标示机 缠绕机 灌装机 封箱机 丝印机 封口机 裹包机 整理机 滚齿机 封面机 包边机 折入机 整平机 冷压机 镂铣机 贴角机 贴膜机 纸巾机 湿巾机 折叠机 充填机 抛光机 装盒机 调头机 折边机 修边机 上光机 压光机 压纹机 压花机 分切机 分条机 涂布机 覆面机 裱纸机 除粉机 糊盒机 打孔机 磨刀机 切割机 钻孔机 胶水机 圆角机 压平机 划线机 纠编机 插边机 淋膜机 切片机 开槽机,V槽机 底封机 上糊机
   

   Reply

9. Back to top

   Re: FFFF

   Aug 3, 2008 3:27 AM by qqbags bags

   we Supply the best quality,selection and price you can only find in the top specialty stores,Keeping you abreast of the lastest trends and providing the convenience of shopping from home. wholesale replica Handbags wholesale replica Bags Chanel replica Handbags Chanel replica Bags Prada replica handbags replica balenciaga handbags gucci replica Handbags replica handbags knockoff Handbags fake handbags wholesale replica Purses replica Purses wholesale replica Handbags wholesale replica Bags wholesale wholesale Handbags wholesale replicas wholesale fake Purses wholesale fake Handbags wholesale fake Bags fake Purses wholesale fake Handbags wholesale fake Bags wholesale wholesale fakes wholesale knockoff Purses wholesale knockoff Handbags wholesale knockoff Bags knockoff Purses wholesale knockoff Handbags wholesale knockoff Bags wholesale chanel replica Purses

   Reply

10. Back to top

    re

    Aug 9, 2008 7:04 AM by goldsrunescape goldsrunescape

    Age Of Conan Goldrunescaperunescapelotro goldmaplestory mesos

    Reply

• Older >