Open-source Flash?

[stukov]

My dreams are coming true. Flash is going open-source. I just hope this will help improving the FreeBSD port of Flash9 for native browsers!

Source: http://tech.slashdot.org/tech/08/05/01/0628254.shtml

[mfaridi]

That is great

[18Googol2]

Good move, Adobe. Hopefully the most wanted application for desktop will be ported to BSD very soon.

[BSDfan666]

It's not Open Source, they released specifications for SFW and FLV, which were previous hard to get a hold of without a billion dollar "donation".

I'm not one who wants flash, open or closed.

[Carpetsmoker]

I don't "want" it either, but I "need" it because there are so many crappy webdesigners ...

Good move, Adobe. Hopefully the most wanted application for desktop will be ported to BSD very soon.

I would not hold my breath, these specs will be useful for gnash and swfdec, but it will probably take some time before these are stable and featured applications.

But yes, it is a move in the right direction.

[kienjakenobi]

I tend to like Flash, much more than I like Java. This seems like a step in the right direction, but it is not likely Adobe will make a move to go full open source. Then they will not be able to keep their grubby paws on every piece of Flash ever made.

I am curious, though. Carpetsmoker, BSDfan666, how would you implement interactive content into web pages without Flash? Do you prefer javascript, or do you prefer no fancy "content"?

[BSDfan666]

Originally Posted by kienjakenobi

I am curious, though. Carpetsmoker, BSDfan666, how would you implement interactive content into web pages without Flash? Do you prefer javascript, or do you prefer no fancy "content"?

I have neither Flash of Java installed, (via emulation or otherwise.)

I dislike the concept, design, and intent of binary-format web content.. as for "interactive" sites, "Ajax" style sites work under OpenBSD (Think meebo.com.) I don't enjoy those kinds of sites either but they're better then Flash or Java.

The wide spread use of Flash doesn't adversely effect me much, most sane websites do without it, others I simply don't visit..

For instance, I don't like Video streaming/Social Networking or Games..

[kienjakenobi]

Ah! Gmail uses AJAX, and it works very nicely from any OS or browser without Java or Flash. For a site like that which needs to be universally usable I completely agree with no Flash or Java. There are a lot of sites that use javascript just for the sake of being able to say "My site uses Java." The use of Flash and Java is out of hand, but at times I think they can create pretty nifty things that are otherwise not possible.

[BSDfan666]

Originally Posted by kienjakenobi

Ah! Gmail uses AJAX, and it works very nicely from any OS or browser without Java or Flash. For a site like that which needs to be universally usable I completely agree with no Flash or Java. There are a lot of sites that use javascript just for the sake of being able to say "My site uses Java." The use of Flash and Java is out of hand, but at times I think they can create pretty nifty things that are otherwise not possible.

It should be noted that Javascript is not related with Sun's Java at all, perhaps it's shares some of the syntax, but so does C.

Nobody in their right mind would compare Java with C..

The proper term is ECMAScript, but try convincing someone to say that instead of the latter, you'll end up with a saliva covered face.

[corey_james]

*groans* @ java & flash on the web

Wonder what's happening with silverlight - anyone know if there is a *nix versiion to play this crap, more to the point, does anyone actually use it on webpages?

[Carpetsmoker]

Looks like a crippled version of silverlight...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonlight_(runtime)

The proper term is ECMAScript, but try convincing someone to say that instead of the latter, you'll end up with a saliva covered face.

ECMAScript is not the same as Javascript, although Javascript is based on it.

AJAX can really enhance a webpage, an example is this site, the drop-down menu's, quick reply, etc is all AJAX and it works pretty well.
But there are also many badly written/slow AJAX implementations, and some sites really overdo it with AJAX

I am not, in principle, against the use of flash, java applets, silverslight, etc, but so many people use it in the wrong way, or don't have a html equivalent...

[Oliver_H]

Flash isn't going to be opensource.

http://lists.freedesktop.org/archive...ay/001459.html

So now it's _legal_ but don't await something spectacular.

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

Originally Posted by Carpetsmoker

AJAX can really enhance a webpage, an example is this site, the drop-down menu's, quick reply, etc is all AJAX and it works pretty well.
But there are also many badly written/slow AJAX implementations, and some sites really overdo it with AJAX

Is there a resource that will tell me more about AJAX and implementing it on a website?

[drhowarddrfine]

You guys are a little confused. Ajax has nothing to do with display of web pages. It's a communication mechanism between a browser and the server. Javascript can be used to display that data, but that's a totally seperate call.

Javascript is not based on Java either. Also, Flash and Java have nothing in common.

[drhowarddrfine]

Getting started with Ajax

[drhowarddrfine]

From Wikipedia:

JavaScript, despite the name, is essentially unrelated to the Java programming language though both have the common C syntax, and JavaScript copies many Java names and naming conventions. The language was renamed from LiveScript in a co-marketing deal between Netscape and Sun in exchange for Netscape bundling Sun's Java runtime with their then-dominant browser. The key design principles within JavaScript are inherited from the Self programming language.

[FloridaBSD]

IMHO. More companies need to follow in Sun Microsystems' foot steps and turn their full on proprietary code "fully open 'source". it greatly disappoints me to see that sun is the only Software/hardware manufacturer to openly accept Free nad Open Source Software (FOSS), this just goes to show you the general anti-open source sentiment in the corporate software arena.

[Carpetsmoker]

The code isn't very useful, it documentation that's needed.

There is nothing inherently wrong with proprietary closed-source code, as long as it's properly documented so that people can still use the format, this is especially a problem when dealing with "unofficial standards" like flash or MS word document.

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

I would love it if there were to be developed either a new open standard for a (for lack of a better word) flash-like media format - or build up a current one.

I keep trying to advocate usage of ogg over mp3, both for static storage and streaming. A similar type format could be developed for video (ogg-video?). Let's face it, the largest growing usage for flash is YouTube and YouTube-like (i.e., GodTube) videos and the like. That could be implemented using a FOSS type format (ogg-video?)

Just my

[Carpetsmoker]

I would love it if there were to be developed either a new open standard for a (for lack of a better word) flash-like media format - or build up a current one.

It's called SMIL
In addition, much can be accomplished with CSS2, now that CSS2 support is improving in IE.
The upcoming XHTML2 also offers a richer set of interactive stuff.
SVG also offers animation features.

Also, mp3 is an open standard ...