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I’d rather be a Woz.

By nothingGrinder Tuesday March 2, 2010

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In recent weeks the industry has underwent a paradigm shift – it all started because this year most people have a touch screen in their pocket. Since then, there has been a barrage of sources claiming that HTML5 is the future of the internet. A non-partisan web format in the shape of an Open Source project – A project that will bring Rich Internet Applications to an open standard – eliminating all patented code on the internet. Finally, creating a standard of display and distribution for all things mobile and of course, most things web. Having a standard for making those little screens in your pocket more accessible to everyone would be a good thing. Making a free system for everyone, even better. Fans of HTML5 champion HTML5 as a public service that will unify developers and maintain the internet as a free place for new ideas. This however, is not the objective of Steve Jobs, a man who admits that his only interest is Apple Computers whilst fans of Apple champion his forward thinking in using HTML5.

Food for thought:

On March 14, 2007, WebKit developer Dave Hyatt forwarded an email from Apple’s Senior Patent Counsel, Helene Plotka Workman, which stated that Apple reserved all intellectual property rights relative to WHATWG’s Web Applications 1.0 Working Draft, dated March 24, 2005, Section 10.1, entitled “Graphics: The bitmap canvas” , but left the door open to licensing the patents should the specification be transferred to a standards body with a formal patent policy.

…The disclosure means that Apple is required to provide royalty-free licensing for the patent whenever the Canvas element becomes part of a future W3C recommendation created by the HTML working group. [Source]

This patent is used in HTML5 - Which only serves to aid a post made by Daring Fireball on February 26th 2010 which states:

… It’s just good business for Apple to control a best-of-breed web rendering engine. If Apple controls its own implementation, then no matter how popular the web gets as a platform, Apple will prosper so long as its implementation is superior. (Needless to say, Apple is quite confident in this regard.) [Source]

Through these actions, Apple attempting to put a standard on web design. Ultimately creating an economy not based on creativity in technology but solely on media publishing and distribution. A world where everyone is a Jobs and no one is a Woz.

All coded software is Open Source in nature.
Meanwhile, Adobe is a software company without a consistent face to represent them. Just evangelists dotted around the globe making it difficult to coordinate their efforts and only a popular Photo Editing Tool as its mascot. It is for these reasons that they have been marked as an enemy of Web Standards and in direct opposition to Interoperability.

In reality, Adobe is striving to make the web more accessible across Multiple screens and platforms.Proof can be found in their forthcoming mobile releases of Flash and Air. [See demo video here by James Middleton and Mark Doherty]

Adobe Flash is a proprietary software. However, because of its ability to create animated interfaces Flash is in direct opposition to the iPhone/iPad platform. Apple has created an industry standard for animated multi touch interactivity. The availability of Flash and Air on multiple mobile and web platforms is the same to Apple as releasing to all developers its iPhone platform source code to make whatever they want on their own terms. Adobe have created an animated interactive mobile platform that cannot be patented by Apple. Whatever was once true about Adobe’s inability to deliver to a device is no longer valid – Software moves on and has limitless capabilities.

HTML5 is not a Software it is a Markup language.
Contrary to popular opinion – HTML is a data format not a Programming language. You cannot build a software in HTML you can only display content with it. HTML5 will be the same as HTML4 except it will be able to distribute and display more types of services. Flash player is a Runtime Environment for the web which utilizes its own software language (Actionscript) plus all other web coding languages to display and distribute content. It is by definition more advanced and therefore actual technology that no one can control except for the developers that implement it. The standards for this platform exist in its ability to display content how you want and can be released through any URL. Flash in a lot of ways is actually open and free. All you need to do is buy the Building environment and compiler and know a bit about how to implement it effectively. The iPhone/iPad platform is maintained by Apple – you get the Software Development Kit for free. And can only build applications upon it. These apps can then only be approved by Apple. You make money by selling their own software back to them and making them profits on their own Platform. This software Platform is closed. The battle is not between Flash and HTML5 as everyone argues. It is actually between Flash Runtime and The iPhone Platform. More specifically, Apple’s control over media display vs. Adobe’s DIY solutions for displaying anything you want… that is, if you’re a brain like Woz.

Enter Larry Masinter. Actually, Larry’s been around for a long time – since the invention of the web. He is currently in the midst of a fire storm regarding his involvement with the W3C and the HTML5 Standards project. Standing accused of putting a monkey wrench into the advancement of HTML5 because he works for Adobe. I thought I would mention him because he has a lot of great things to say about the advancement of HTML5 and the misinformation that goes along in the process of developing these standards.

I hate to see decades of work on web architecture messed up in the short-term interest of grabbing control of the web platform for a few vendors to own. If you think that position doesn’t match what you imagine Adobe’s position is, well, I’m glad Adobe’s planning to support HTML5 in its products.

…I’m angry and depressed about the total ignorance/laziness of online “journalists” and the sheer credulity of their readers. For God’s sake, guys, do the most rudimentary due diligence before you start defaming people who’ve devoted their entire careers to the advancement of standards. Have enough respect for your profession to take the impact of your words seriously.

Quotes taken from Larry Masinter

Steve Jobs has called Adobe ‘Lazy’ in rumored attacks against the Flash Platform. The truth is – it is Apple who is ‘Lazy. All Flash Player source code is available to anyone who has partnered with Adobe’s Flash Platform. Also, Adobe provides Opensource programme’s like The ‘Open Source Media Framework’ – (OSMF)

This project is intended to facilitate the development and sharing of open standards and best practices for video player applications built on the Adobe Flash Platform. Media players today are a nexus of complexity for so many technologies, services, and providers that the project can best tackle these integration challenges through an open source approach. [Source]

This source is available for Download [Here].

Flash is the Holy Grail.

By nothingGrinder Tuesday February 23, 2010

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There are two conflicting beliefs:

1. Apple is killing Flash and the world will conform.

2. Adobe and Google will reshape the market and Apple will die.

First, let’s look at this from Apple’s point of view. Three years ago Steve Jobs revolutionized the industry with the iPhone. At the time it was cutting edge – so cutting edge – no one cared it was closed to the world. The iPhone grew so rapidly worldwide making single developers huge profits. This started a new trend in the market – The AppStore. Services replaced technology and iPhone became the primary medium. Everyone wanted some type of service they could sell on the iPhone. The market changed and everyone wanted a piece. Developers, designers, programmers, investors, etc. They were all interested in the iPhone platform and how much money it could make them. In my opinion – a brilliant business model. Apple was so confident in their technology that they continued to perfect it over the years. Finally, releasing the iPhone 3GS – it seemed everyone was satisfied – and there was much rejoicing.

Now let’s look at this from Adobe’s point of view. In late 2008 Adobe announced The Open Screen Project. It was a roadmap of partnerships to bring Flash technology across all screens to the entire world. They teamed up with Google, Nvidia, and Qualcomm among others to form a $10M fund for Flash Platform development. Unfortunately, everyone in the industry was so hung up on building services for the iPhone, The Open Screen Project went unnoticed. In 2009 the CEO of Adobe spoke at The Web2.0 Summit about Adobe’s partnerships in The Open Screen Project. There he announced the roadmap and goals of the project. It was now clear that Adobe was on the path to make Flash as accessible as HTML. The only Mobile technology company to reject this partnership was Apple. Even Microsoft are partnering with Adobe to include the full Flash Player in future versions of Windows Phone 7 as announced at the Mobile World Congress.

In late January of 2010 Steve Jobs announced the Apple iPad. A keynote that was… surprisingly uneventful. I think we were all expecting big things from Apple.

Mid February 2010 was the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. For the first time, Adobe reveals Flash player 10.1 for mobile and Adobe AIR 2.0 for mobile. All of which they displayed running on multiple devices including the Dell Mini5, Palm Pre, and Google Nexus One proving that Flash is ready to become the new standard for web and mobile publishing.

So, when I think back on the violent reaction Steve Jobs had toward Flash Platform, it all makes perfect sense. He builds the iPhone and changes the industry. He then keeps his technology closed shutting himself out of any major partnerships. Two years later companies like HTC have learned all they can from the iPhone and are ready to release their latest product… the Nexus One. Google releases the phone under their name to prove to the world that a phone can do everything the iPhone can do PLUS everything the iPhone can’t do. Leveraging their partnership with Adobe to claim bragging rights for the first mobile in history to run full Browser Flash.

Then comes along Microsoft the last and biggest company to partner with Adobe and their Windows 7 iPhone killer also announced at Mobile World Congress. Once again, Apple gets shown up by a software company using 3rd party hardware to release cutting edge technology.

Closed software* leveraging open hardware could be the new technology business model. No wonder Apple is threatened. Perhaps Apple got it wrong. At the time the iPhone gained popularity, it seemed Apple had it right. Then again, at that time, Apple was the only one in the market. It was only a matter of time before everyone else got it right too. Finally when they did, it was too late for Apple. With Google, Microsoft, HTC, and Qualcomm all partnered with Adobe, the best Apple can do is to hold on to that 10% market share in personal computers.
[*Amendment: Flash Player and Adobe Air Runtime will now be opensource to Open Screen Project participants - http://nGn.bz/OSMF]

Apple got the hardware right, but they locked it up too tight with the iTunes store. Steve Jobs made it about services when it has always been about technology.

How does Flash fit into all of this?

The biggest disappointment in this firestorm has been the divide about the iPad/iPhone in the Flash community. This is a great set-back for all of us in that community. As a Flash development company we feel responsible for leading by example. We love Flash and will fight for Flash until the bitter end. We believe so strongly in Flash as the future of web technology our aim is to make everything on the web in Flash. Flash should be the interface of the internet. We wouldn’t want it any other way. We develop in Flash because of the amazing UX it allows. The beautiful graphics it is capable of and its power to play video and animation.

I read a shocking article by a Flash developer today. You can read the article here. The author speaks about the impossibilities of porting old Flash applications to the new multi-touch devices. His focus is on the iPad. Where the article fails is that the author failed to talk about the reality of multi-touch. iPad is not the only device with multi-touch… the entire world will soon be multi-touch. So, when he talks about impossibilities he is making a generalization for the entire industry and not just the iPad. Let’s face reality – in web and mobile technology, nothing is impossible.

Here are 3 key failures of said article:

1. Building an overlay controller for your game solves all of the problems discussed.

2. Use of proper OOP practices should allow a developer to port Flash projects to new screens without the need to modify the existing code.

3. Anything older than AS2 should be reprogrammed anyway. Event AS2 should be reported or reprogrammed for AS3 and Flash Player 10. If developers are still trying to make money on games created years ago then they have lost sight of Adobe’s vision for Flash.

Our Plea to the Flash Community

We are Flash developers and we should be trying to prove to the world that Flash is worth the struggle of its learning curve. Adobe has gone to great lengths to bring Flash back to the top of the web game over the years. They fought through all the “Flash is crap” hype in the 90s and they will continue their fight against all the “Flash is dead” rumors happening today. We will fight with them.

Flash is the future of the internet. Adobe’s partnerships with Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and everyone in the Open Screen Project is proof.

Open hardware is the way of the future. Google has proven this by giving away free Nexus One Smart phones to thousands of people all over the world. Flash is now the leading web technology. As Flash developers, we need to knuckle down and show the world what Flash can do. We need to have pride in our work and not take a neutral stance on arguments for HTML5 over Flash.

We have been fighting the Flash battle for many years. In the past 6 months we have started to feel that we are alone in the industry. The Flash community has cut itself off from the rest of the world. We want this to change. We want to feel that Adobe has our back because we have theirs and not because we’ve made millions. More and more startups are giving up on Flash. Our mission as a Flash developers is to change the world. That is why we do what we do. nothingGrinder will soon release its rapid Flash Development platform. We aim to bring the future to you now. Please get in touch if you would like to partner with us to aid in our cause.

Sincerely,

Aaron Franco and Gabriel Ortiz – The nothingGrinder Team

Nexus One Complete

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Google has released videos documenting the life cycle of a Nexus One phone. The new Google phone surpasses the iPhone in nearly every way. Its short comings have already been made up for with Google’s announcements of Multi-touch capabilities. Soon the phone will be Flash enabled. The Nexus One is truly revolutionary.
Kudos to Google for [...]

Don’t @Mention I.T.

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Last week on Twitter a big name in the industry – (Let’s call him Sam) tweeted my post about Facebook Advertising. And so my post got re-tweeted about 20 times by Sam’s faithful followers. Which is great! Getting re-tweeted is always welcome. However, Sam – The Social Media Expert neglected to post my Blog link [...]

What is a nothingGrinder?

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We’ve recently been asked this question by people through our various Social Networks so I thought I’d set the record straight and let people know what we’re all about.
nothingGrinder as a name was found by me (Gabriel Ortiz) in a children’s math book a couple of weeks after Aaron Franco announced to me that we [...]

Future of Web Video

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A Brief History of Web Video
From the early 1990’s until around 2004, video on the internet was a developing technology. Codecs were created and companies experimented with marketing and usability. By 2004 video on the internet exploded with over 14 billion views for the year. This was the beginning of the YouTube era. Google and [...]