9to5mac say the iPad does have flash!

[G4R2]

Exactly! I don't know why people don't seem to understand where people are coming from! Its acceptable not to have flash on a phone, but the game changes completely when you have a far bigger screen, especially when you are claiming that netbooks suck and that you offer a better web experience than your own macs!!

I can understand that some people are accustomed to the content that Flash delivers. But can you understand why this is bad for the web?

Aside from being the only proprietary standard (standard because it is used so extensively), and aside from the fact that after many years new open standards are now available, the presence of Flash actually restricts and slow downs the development of technology.

If Flash were part of the iPhone Apple would have to wait on Adobe to optimize it as part of any future release. Additionally, whatever experience Flash provides through whatever new technology Apple develops would be dependent upon Adobe, not Apple. Apple can't simply write its own Flash plug in. The plug in must be provided by Adobe. And once Adobe provides it Apple can't optimize. If its buggy, users will blame Apple, not Adobe. If Apple can't release a new version of Safari because Adobe hasn't upgraded the Flash component then it will be Apple's fault.

The great thing about Apple products, and something that has been crucial to its recent success, is that its products work and if they don't you know who's at fault.

In any case, in the scheme of things, it probably is hard to understand why anyone would prefer Flash over better performing open standards that are now available. The immediate fix for content doesn't justify the long term detriment that Flash, to Adobe's exclusive benefit, has caused.

 

[Anuba]

Exactly! I don't know why people don't seem to understand where people are coming from! Its acceptable not to have flash on a phone, but the game changes completely when you have a far bigger screen, especially when you are claiming that netbooks suck and that you offer a better web experience than your own macs!!

They dodged the bullet on the iPhone by including the YouTube application. That's the only reason why it was bearable without Flash. But now that YouTube has started blocking everyone outside the US from tons of content (for 90% of the music videos and TV clips you get "not available in your country due to a copyright claim by..."), lots of people overseas have turned to other sites like DailyMotion and various domestic YouTube wannabes.

Not. Going. To. Happen.

Yeah yeah yeah, they want total and utter control over all software on Macs and iPods/iPhones/iPads. Their river of manly tears is duly noted. I want Obama's nuclear launch codes, but it's not going to happen. Deal with it.

Apple doesn't have the muscle to wrestle Flash out of the picture. Period. Microsoft owns 95% of the market worldwide and they've had their alternative to Flash, Silverlight, out for 2 years. What have they accomplished so far? It's used on microsoft.com and half a dozen PC geek sites. At its current trajectory, Flash will be about as easy to get rid of as Windows, and as long as Flash is supported by (and ships with) Windows, content providers will not be in a hurry to start a costly migration from the Flash platform.

Neither Apple nor Microsoft can control these things. Microsoft wants you to use WMA and WMV. Apple wants you to use AAC and Quicktime h.264. Here's what the vast majority prefer and use: MP3 and DivX/XviD. Both inferior to the alternatives, but nobody cares -- they go where the free content is.

The bottom line is, the iPad wasn't made for tech geeks who get cool points by renouncing Flash -- the target audience is mainstream consumers. When every web page they go to is filled up with giant squares with stupid Lego pieces in them, they're not going to go "Ahh, Flash. Good riddance to it", they're going to go "aaargh, this #¤%€=$&#¤!=(# iPad POS never works!!, I want my goddamn PC back".

 

[wildcardd]

It's a promo video. They could have shown Jonny Ive flying through space on a brushed aluminum and glass rocket if they wanted.

BEST....VIDEO....EVAR!!!!!

 

[Anuba]

In any case, in the scheme of things, it probably is hard to understand why anyone would prefer Flash over better performing open standards that are now available.

The above could've been a sales pitch for the OGG codec against MP3. Remember how that went?

Aside from being the only proprietary standard (standard because it is used so extensively)

Are you actually using the "fight proprietary standards everywhere!" argument in defense of Apple? They're the undisputed kings of closed computing and lock-in schemes. In their ideal world, the only way for people to get food and water would be to buy it from the iTunes Store. It always makes me chuckle when Apple attacks others for refusing to share. They're the biggest and blackest pot ever to call the kettle black.

 

[Scorpio12345]

I can understand that some people are accustomed to the content that Flash delivers. But can you understand why this is bad for the web?

Aside from being the only proprietary standard (standard because it is used so extensively), and aside from the fact that after many years new open standards are now available, the presence of Flash actually restricts and slow downs the development of technology.

If Flash were part of the iPhone Apple would have to wait on Adobe to optimize it as part of any future release. Additionally, whatever experience Flash provides through whatever new technology Apple develops would be dependent upon Adobe, not Apple. Apple can't simply write its own Flash plug in. The plug in must be provided by Adobe. And once Adobe provides it Apple can't optimize. If its buggy, users will blame Apple, not Adobe. If Apple can't release a new version of Safari because Adobe hasn't upgraded the Flash component then it will be Apple's fault.

The great thing about Apple products, and something that has been crucial to its recent success, is that its products work and if they don't you know who's at fault.

In any case, in the scheme of things, it probably is hard to understand why anyone would prefer Flash over better performing open standards that are now available. The immediate fix for content doesn't justify the long term detriment that Flash, to Adobe's exclusive benefit, has caused.

But you see, the point is that MILLIONS of web sites use flash. Whether its good or detrimental has nothing to do with it. The fact of the matter is, that it was indeed implemented, and as much as Apple wants to shun it, it only makes them look stupid as Adobe rightfully says that many websites (such as Hulu and even random hotel/restaurant/news/tv websites) use Flash. Sure, it sucks, but they aren't going to change anytime soon, so for Apple to completely ignore it, just because they don't like it, is silly...

As many people have said, why should Apple choose what we do and do not want? Its 2010, offer the flexibility for christ sake! Its as simple as having an "on/off" slider in settings. And as much as people can't imagine potential consumers ignoring the iPad due to its lack of Flash, there are plenty of them out there... Anuba rightfully mentioned that the average consumer doesn't even know what Flash is, and for them to load up the Disney website to find that it won't even load will just lead them to believe that the entire iPad is broken, not that its just missing a simple plugin........

HTML5 may be the future, but websites aren't going to switch to it for years, and even then, i strongly doubt Flash will just die.........