Flash Won’t Die Stop Trying to Kill it
It’s a hot button topic and yes I am biased. But I’m growing tired of the Flash hate that’s been growing over last few years. I’m also tired of defending the technology. So I’m going to break it down as simple as I can why I believe HTML5 won’t kill Flash.
- Interactive Storytelling and Emotional Communiction
- Flash is not static
Say It Ain’t So Steve
It was recently rumored that Steve Jobs held a town hall style meeting to discuss plans for Apple. In this meeting he allegedly said:
Apple does not support Flash because it is so buggy. Whenever a Mac crashes more often than not it’s because of Flash. No one will be using Flash, he says. The world is moving to HTML5. - Steve Jobs
One’s and Zero’s Are Not the Problem
HTML5 will be a much needed upgrade. And i’m really excited for continued standardization especially when it comes to audio and video. However, Steve if you’re reading this, Flash is a proprietary technology and it may not be optimized for your devices but it’s popularity can not be tossed aside. Why not? Well, it offers something that no other technology provides. Interactive storytelling that appeals to human emotion. Read that again and really take it in.
Interactive Story Telling and Emotional Communication
No one can dispute that video is a great way to tell a story. Although you can do it with words the old adage does say a picture tells a thousand words. And at 24 frames per second, that’s a lot of words. Despite video being a great way to communicate on an emotional level it’s locked into to a specific sequence. Plainly video lacks interactivity.
Flash is not static
You see Flash fits nicely between the emotional response of video and the interactive capabilities of HTML5. Despite both of these technologies being great at what they do HTML5 and video are static.
static
a : characterized by a lack of movement, animation, or progression b : producing an effect of repose or quiescence <a static design>
Video lacks dynamic user driven controls and HTML5 via javascript can animate content but it lacks storytelling.
This isn’t about key frames and it’s not about file formats. Really think about that. It’s about sequentially dynamic communication. Their combined weaknesses of HTML5 and Video are the strengths of Flash platform.
Would you ever create a movie with JQuery? No. It’s a great technology for transitions, but it falls short as a visual story telling technology.
Would you ever film 100 pages of content and pop in and out of each “page” accepting that the video won’t line and the lack of transitions from jumping around the play head of a video file? Maybe, but the experince suffers.
Flash is a great blend animation and content for interactive storytelling. Until another technology can do this to the satisfaction of both designers, videographers, and end users stop hating. Accept it.
One more thing…
Oh yeah. Steve, don’t filter my options. Let me decided if Flash runs too slow.
Tags: Flash, HTML5, iphone, Steve Jobs, Video
February 1st, 2010 at 2:41 pm
So basically you’re saying that it’s the Flash IDE that makes Flash viable as an emotional, story-telling medium?
No, you wouldn’t use jQuery to do something like that, but you might use Cappuccino. 280 Slides is just phenomenal, and the framework has come a LONG way since even that was released. The elements could easily be recombined to create an artsy experience instead of a productivity app.
I’m a Flex developer myself, and a realist. And I agree: Flash isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and it’s counter-productive to talk about “killing” pieces of software (…except IE6: blow it up.) However, HTML5 and the modern Javascript engines and libraries are wonderful, wonderful things. We should all celebrate these things going mainstream, opening their code, and pushing into new territories (server side JS is huge.) The tech is powerful, and the tools will come.
I think we can safely ignore Apple’s negativity and easily see through their hypocrisy regarding openness, but Adobe will also need to pay attention and avoid “fighting” with HTML5. Embracing and integrating is the path forward.
Nice post.
February 1st, 2010 at 8:48 pm
Loren, I couldn’t agree with you more… except about Cappuccino. I’m not familiar with it, but will check it out now.
On the Flash IDE part that’s more or less what I mean. I could care less if the technology was called Flash, Spiderman, or Silverlight for that matter. Just as you said Flash won’t die unless another interactive storytelling software comes around. And it probably will, but HTML5 is not it.
As for the JavaScript libraries I think it’s amazing how far they have come and how widely accepted they are. As a development platform I say go for it, but the thing that Flash did form me that those libraries are yet to do for the up and coming generation is give application level power to non-developers. I know it sounds crazy, but non-developers think in communication rather than specs. Flash bridged the gap and lead many artist into the world of development and I think helped shape web design as we know it today.
It has it’s place as a communication media as well as a creative gateway to development.
Thanks for reading BTW
And also thanks for the comment.
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Hey, Josh. I don’t think Flash has any inherent properties that make it about “storytelling.” The right combination of tools in HTML, CSS, and Javascript can and will do the same thing. It may be just a matter of tooling.
My full thoughts.
February 3rd, 2010 at 12:13 am
I agree and disagree. Flash is built on the idea of sequential media. Everything about it is a metaphor for objects that change over time. Yes there are “timers” that can do things like fades and even super intelligent things like inertia (JQuery). However the Flash IDE is a great metaphor that allows a developer, animator, or anyone for that matter to create meaningful presentations over time. The HTML and JavaScript alternatives have yet to mature in this kind of way. It probably will but it’s just not there yet. Right out of the box today flash can be used to create and tell stories.
HTML5 will do a lot of things, but it won’t do that. That’s why I stand behind it. Flash, today is best at creating memorable experiences. But I’m sure my opinions will change as this story continues to unfold.
February 12th, 2010 at 5:11 pm
Very informative article. I’ve found your blog via Google and I’m really glad about the information you provide in your posts. Btw your blogs layout is really messed up on the Kmelon browser. Would be great if you could fix that. Anyhow keep up the great work!
February 12th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Thanks for reading. I’ll investigate the Kmelon browser. I’ve never heard of it before.