HTML5 + AJAX vs Flash
Hi Blog and All,
Sometimes I hear gossip about web technologies and people saying what side they are going to take. First off Ajax and Flex are not going to fight, because they both work seamlessly in most browsers. The technologies that make up AJAX are not that uncommon, but Flash is actually a more matured technology. 1996 was the year that Macromedia Flash began development.
I love both of them, and they each have their own strengths. Flash is much more appealing for timeline driven graphics/Buttons/Movie Clips. Ajax is great for speed, and is more widely supported(well flash is catching up in apple /mobile). One of the weaknesses of javascript is that some people have the js turned off in their browsers. Another issue with Javascript is popups, and some automatically running script problems.
Every web project calls for a different mashup. How could someone say that Flash sucks, or that it is going to go away? No one could be able to predict the future, and not learning AS3/Flex/Flash only limits your abilities. I could say Flash sucks too, but because I hate full-flash websites. I don’t think that a flash app should be tossed into a few lines of HTML, because there is much need for accessibility. Web applications make use of many resources. Server-side, Client-side, and remote( or cloud).
If you wanted to create a whole website in PDF, SWF, or DHTML. Why do that though? I think you would miss out on the flexibility of Web standards, and most likely lose an audience.
Flash ISN’T getting the boot because of Ajax or HTML5. Flash has evolved. Meaning, just like MS office got an xml upgrade to allow more functionality; so did JSP/ASP/PHP and Flash. Flash wont get the boot like FrontPage. It’s been modularized, and has evolved. There is a reason for Flash Catalyst, and AIR. Adobe has really picked up steam with Flash, because you can created Windows Applications AND Mobile applications in AS3. Flex has been keeping up with Silverlight, and JavaFx.
Ajax and Flex are much more alike then they are different. 1 thing that about Flex that really takes the cake… Flex connects to .NET,Java, and OpenSource Server languages. It also connects to E4x, XML, Rss, SOAP, & JS.
The lovely Flash AJAX Bridge enables the developer to build interactive web apps that marry both technologies with ease. So with HTML5, flash is not going anywhere. Due to HTML5 API compatibility, I look forward to working with both Flash and Ajax alongside the new markup language.
These technologies will never fight, only the people using them. If I had my choice I would pick both of them. The reason I would choose both, every project is different. Yes they both have their strengths, and their weaknesses.
So if not to replace FLASH why is HTML5 such a big deal? HTML5 is an amazing set of next generation elements that give web developers a much needed upgrade in the HTML toolbox. Also with this release of HTML, interoperability between browsers is closer than ever.
Just my Bits,
Rob
