Can HTML5 replace Flash?

Comments: There is a heated debate between network developers regarding the future of the Network: should they continue to use Adobe Flash or use newer technologies?

Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch

On July 15, February 6, Beijing time, network developers are conducting a heated debate on the future of the Network: should they continue to use Adobe Flash or use newer technologies?

This debate has lasted for many years, but Apple's iPad (like the iPhone) last week did not support Flash. Before that, Adobe said with a low profile that Apple would be happy to provide Flash for the iPhone as long as it nodded.

However, Adobe Technical Officer Kevin Lynch does not seem to want to talk about it any more. He wrote in a blog on the 2 th that Apple does not want to include Flash in its "magic device, this means that iPad users can only see incomplete web pages. He even compared Google Nexus One.

"We are about to complete Flash Player 10.1 for all other large smartphone brands outside of a company," said Lynch ." He specifically mentioned Nexus One, which can also be executed on flat devices, laptops, and online TVs. "Flash and browsers provide a competitive advantage for these devices because their customers will be able to browse the entire network," he said ...... We are ready to add Flash to the browsers of these devices, as long as Apple is willing, but so far, we have not received Apple's requirements ."

According to Adobe statistics, Flash has achieved almost ubiquitous popularity on personal computers, with a penetration rate above 98%. This technology is rooted in animated images, but the key to its success is to provide a simple website streaming audio-video mechanism in addition to difficult technologies such as Microsoft, apple, and Real. However, a number of new technologies, including the reborn HTML standard, all lock the audio and video experience provided by Flash.

Bruce Lawson, a supporter of Opera Software's network standards, believes that HTML and other technologies will replace Flash, and these new technologies are very similar to the current Flash.

Lawson said: "For businesses, communications and society as a whole, networks (including audio and video, games, and animation) are too important platforms to be controlled by any single enterprise. But it still takes some time; there is a large amount of content using Flash ."

But the problem is not just the number of existing Flash contents on the network. HTML5 and its related technologies are rapidly maturing, and because they support the synchronous evolution with browsers, even if they are still incomplete, they have formed an existence and strength that cannot be ignored. However, many developers still adopt a wait-and-see attitude and prefer to wait until the situation becomes clearer before taking action.

Open Network Alliance

After years of chaos, browser manufacturers such as Apple, Opera, Mozilla, and Google finally reached a consensus on the new direction of HTML standards. The most notable HTML5 standard is built-in sound and audio and video support.

In addition, there are other new features, such as storing data in the computer for use by applications, and regularly updating the Web Sockets of data for the browser, so that the Web Workers of network programs can perform multiple tasks at a time, and improve the Canvas of 2D images.

At the same time, these allies are promoting other new standards under the "Open Network" banner, such as 3D image acceleration technology WebGL, through CSS (stacked style sheets) it can work with network fonts to improve web page layout, enhance support for other parts, such as SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), and improve the efficiency of making web programs with JavaScript.

In the past 10 years, Microsoft began to invest in browser development and launch Silverlight and Flash competitors. The company promises to accept more network standards and invest more in HTML and SVG development in recent months. Patrick Dengler, Senior Planning Manager of the IE team, said: "We have received unexpected positive responses ."

Adobe's proprietary Flash software, in addition to conflicts with the "Open Network" in principle, has a major drawback: Being a machine. Mozilla is eager to launch a new version of "Lorentz" for Firefox to isolate plug-ins from making browsers crash, mainly because of Flash.

Flash advantages

But now it is determined that Flash will die too early. The operations of open network alliance are still chaotic, scattered, and unstable, and the browser support of each element is inconsistent or even nonexistent. Flash is the most consistent browser attachment software. Unlike the browser version update, users can upgrade the new Flash version relatively quickly.

The formal standardization process is slow. Ian Hickson, who was edited by HTML5 and employed by Google, completed HTML5 work by the Network hypertext Application Technology Team (WHATWG) in last October. However, the Group is working with the more bureaucratic W3C (Global Information Network Association) to complete this standard.

The difficulties in the emergence of HTML5 audio and video standards show that it is difficult to replace Flash. When a Flash video is transmitted from a server to a user's computer, it uses various "codec" audio/video encoders/decoders. You only need to press the keys.

Currently, HTML5 only accepts two types of codec: H.264 supported by Apple Safari and Google Chrome, and Ogg Theora supported by Firefox, Chrome, and Opera. The most popular Browser IE, which currently does not support any HTML5 audio and video.

What should I do for a streaming audio/video website? If a website supports HTML5 audio and video (YouTube is being tested), it is best to retain Flash Support to serve many users who have not yet supported HTML5 in current browsers.

In addition, the open network alliance may be about to catch up with the existing Flash technology, but Flash is not stagnant. Last year, Lynch vowed to allow Flash to continue playing the best tool to explore the network.

Finally, open network programming tools are not yet mature. One of the reasons is that HTML5 and related technologies are not yet completed ., Lawson said: "You must rely on browsers to communicate with each other. Past experience shows that it is not easy, but the situation will improve as the specifications are developed ."

Stay calm

HTML vs. Flash may develop into a scale similar to religious war. Since its own programming language, the competition for the advantages and disadvantages of tools has never stopped, and this topic also contains some emotional factors.

Many fans who use Firefox to open the source code are not familiar with proprietary software. They are also used to speak out their opinions. Another group of Flash attackers are completely disgusted with the disruptive online advertisement. Now, with more opinions from Apple's iPad supporters, a powerful anti-Flash force has taken shape.

Adobe's Photoshop product management director John Nack said: "People like some killer-style situation settings: Good people fight against bad people, open up against proprietary ..."

Indeed, it is wise to be objective and accept the advantages and disadvantages of the two technologies. In the short term, there will be no result of your death. Maybe the gap between the two is not that big on the surface. Don't forget that Adobe also has HTML tools. Its AIR software is not just a flash player, but also a WebKit HTML processing engine. Adobe has invested a lot of resources in Flash, but the company's interest in HTML will also increase with the maturity of related technologies.

"In the long term, HTML will crowd out Flash needs in some places, especially the recent HTML5 development," Lynch said. But I don't think this is a replacement for another situation, and neither the current nor the visible future can happen ." (Translated by Chen Zhiwen)