Post by: RHPConsult on April 05, 2010, 01:37:45 PM
All that by way of introducing this question, in the ambit TeeEss Computing 10, thank you.
Quote: What’s all the fuss about Flash? Why is it not good (I guess) to require its use in/on/by web pages? What does its use do (badly/ineffectively/maliciously/stupidly) to/for my Macs?
In this morning’s fervid MacWorld observations about the iPad/Safari etc. etc. there are some comparisons of Safari on the iPhone with Safari on the iPad, including comments about Flash.
I didn’t understand, either, nor the disdain expressed on TeeEss some months about Flash. So . . . .
Can someone enlighten me, in words from an elementary dictionary, i.e TeeEss 10?
And, thank you, my friends.
Post by: Paddy on April 05, 2010, 04:14:45 PM
Why do we hate Flash...let me count the ways.
My number one reason for despising Flash is that it's used badly and is utterly UNNECESSARY about 95% of the time. I'm now seeing nitwit web designers using it for TEXT HEADINGS - all over the place. If you don't use ClickToFlash or FlashBlock, you've probably not noticed, but designers are actually using it to do very simple, non-moving, non-interactive TEXT HEADINGS. Why? Apparently they want to use fonts that aren't "web-friendly" and think that the design (font) is more important than anything else.
I am getting so sick of restaurant web sites in Flash. I just want the darned info, please - not the visual overload.Actually, all these people have said it rather well:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qi...19161813AAek0Nq
http://www.blogd.com/archives/000672.html
http://flashsucks.org/
http://immike.net/blog/2007/07/31/flash-sucks/
http://www.macopinion.com/index.php/site/m...hy_flash_sucks/
A somewhat more pro-Flash discussion, though I have quibbles with some of his points:
http://www.bit-101.com/blog/?p=2381
Bottom line for me is...what do you want your web site to do? As in architecture, form should follow function. Many Flash web sites have completely abandoned this principle - they're all about "wow" and not at all about conveying the information that people are really looking for.
Post by: Xairbusdriver on April 05, 2010, 10:08:11 PM
Flash does have some valid uses, just like dynamite. But, similarly to dynamite, one should know how and when to use it. Yes, one can 'fish' with dynamite, but it is not an extremely good choice when there are several boats around...Oops!
That's what Paddy is seeing and many others would too, if they just tried some of the many Flash blockers, even temporarily.
But you can open Activity Monitor and then visit a site using Flash and see how much more work your Mac has to do. Flash is basically a programmable animation graphics program. Graphics take more computer power than plain text. And this extra work required by your computer is used by the Flash plug-in that every single computer must have in order to see anything from it. That plug-in is like having a whole web browser running just to show the Flash and not a very well designed browser, at that. Now, if you have a fast machine, a fast connection and plenty of RAM or disk space, you may not ever see the performance degradation on you screen. If you don't have the latest and greatest or a slower connection, sit back and relax...
Lastly, Flash is proprietary. There is no other source for Flash 'technology' than Adobe. Adobe has never had much of a pristine character for many years. They seem oblivious to what users want, expecting everyone to just sit back and accept what is offered.
The most promising alternative to Flash, at the present, seems to be html5. Unfortunately, the group that sets the standards for html (and many other open source media methods) is sometimes blown off the track by passing turtles!
Obviously the epitome of committee "performance" speed. When they finally publish something, it is usually excellently thought out and extremely flexible, but it just doesn't happen over night.Personally, I think the real push for replacing Flash with something more modern, widely useable and less demanding of the hardware, is the fact that Apple has refused to allow any implementation of Flash on the iPhone/Touch or the iPad. YouTube doesn't want to miss that platform, nor do an ever increasing number of businesses that want eyeballs on their sites. As in much of nature, these businesses couldn't care less about the advantages or problems with any particular programming method, all they care about is survival. And they see many of Apple's mobile products as necessary for that. If Adobe has to die along the way, so be it.
I think the mere name of Flash pretty much tells the whole story. "It's all flash and no substance."
Post by: RHPConsult on April 06, 2010, 12:46:02 PM
From what conversations here I've "overheard" in the past, I thought Flash was something I shouldn't have on my Macs, not something web designers should abjure for the good of civilization . . . or something.
What sharpened my concern (in pursuit of the first idea) was some recent insistence that I update the Flash (plug-in, I guess) on my Macs.
Some misunderstanding on my part. Thanks Paddy and ABD for the help in straightening out my convoluted ideas.
Post by: Xairbusdriver on April 06, 2010, 01:37:56 PM
Post by: Paddy on April 06, 2010, 02:10:40 PM
The Flash player has had and probably continues to have, a raft of security holes - serious enough that in the past year even the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (who knew there was such a thing!) issued a warning to disable Flash until Adobe fixed it, which they did a few days later. So, do update your Flash plug-ins when prompted to - most of the updates lately have been security fixes.
Post by: Xairbusdriver on April 06, 2010, 09:09:19 PM
- <ClickToFlash>
Post by: RHPConsult on April 07, 2010, 12:32:02 AM
I'll figger-out how to use it tomorrow.
PS: you're up awfully late, Paddy!
Post by: Paddy on April 07, 2010, 06:38:22 AM
Post by: RHPConsult on April 07, 2010, 11:07:05 AM
Post by: krissel on April 08, 2010, 06:31:36 AM
Post by: RHPConsult on April 08, 2010, 11:48:19 AM
Post by: Xairbusdriver on April 08, 2010, 12:54:12 PM
Just trying to help...or maybe just very 'trying' 
Post by: krissel on April 08, 2010, 04:28:27 PM
http://daringfireball.net/2010/04/iphone_a..._flash_compiler
Post by: Xairbusdriver on April 08, 2010, 05:42:32 PM
I've yet to shed any tears about not having Flash...
Post by: krissel on April 11, 2010, 05:25:29 AM
http://theflashblog.com/?p=1888
This guy disagrees:
http://daringfireball.net/2010/04/why_appl...ged_section_331
Adobe notes the risk to its future business:
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-0...n-update1-.html
Post by: RHPConsult on April 11, 2010, 10:22:55 AM
Don't take it personally, it's only business. We are certain Adobe's compassionate practices and superb customer service will continue to garner loyal support.