Adobe working to sabotage HTML5
Despite initial comments in support of HTML5 as an option standard, Adobe has taken action to sabotage the open specification in an effort to support its existing position with Flash.
Update: Adobe's Larry Masinter has issued a correction that insists neither he nor his company is intentionally holding up the HTML5 spec:
"No part of HTML5 is, or was ever, 'blocked in the W3C HTML Working Group -- not HTML5, not Canvas 2D Graphics, not Microdata, not Video not by me, not by Adobe."
Neither Adobe nor I oppose, are fighting, are trying to stop, slow down, hinder, oppose, or harm HTML5, Canvas 2D Graphics, Microdata, video in HTML, or any of the other significant features in HTML5."
Masinter also added, "There are some things that are wrong with the spec I'd like to see fixed. There are some things that are really, really, wrong with the process that I'd like to improve."
Ian Hickson, a member of the HTML5 working group and an employee of Google, originally reported this week that "the latest publication of HTML5 is now blocked by Adobe, via an objection that has still not been made public (despite yesterday's promise to make it so)."
Hickson contrasted a series of comments from Adobe executives, including CEO Shantanu Narayen, who in 2009 said, "To the extent that an improved HTML standard accelerates innovation and consistent reach for web content, we?re very supportive."
Dave McAllister, an Adobe Evangelist, said last year that, "for Adobe, 'open' is all aspects of communications and technologies. For us, those are open source, standards, and community. [...] We make sure that we talk to our communities, that we play with the standards groups, [...] We are actually one of the most open companies that are active."
Earlier this month, Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch said that ?Adobe supports HTML and its evolution.?
Despite all these supportive public comments however, Adobe was seen to be working to block the HTML5 specification, particularly in the realm of the canvas element. While HTML5 is often contrasted with Flash as a means for supporting video playback, the new HTML5 canvas element presents a direct threat to Flash as a way to add animation or navigation elements to a webpage.
The HTML5 canvas element also supports the creation of web games, advertisements, and other interactive content, a feature set that will make its adoption a direct threat to Adobe's Flash platform.
Adobe has been working to incite interest and talk about Flash, particularly on the iPhone, iPod touch and the new iPad, none of which support Flash.
Update: Adobe's Larry Masinter has issued a correction that insists neither he nor his company is intentionally holding up the HTML5 spec:
"No part of HTML5 is, or was ever, 'blocked in the W3C HTML Working Group -- not HTML5, not Canvas 2D Graphics, not Microdata, not Video not by me, not by Adobe."
Neither Adobe nor I oppose, are fighting, are trying to stop, slow down, hinder, oppose, or harm HTML5, Canvas 2D Graphics, Microdata, video in HTML, or any of the other significant features in HTML5."
Masinter also added, "There are some things that are wrong with the spec I'd like to see fixed. There are some things that are really, really, wrong with the process that I'd like to improve."
Ian Hickson, a member of the HTML5 working group and an employee of Google, originally reported this week that "the latest publication of HTML5 is now blocked by Adobe, via an objection that has still not been made public (despite yesterday's promise to make it so)."
Hickson contrasted a series of comments from Adobe executives, including CEO Shantanu Narayen, who in 2009 said, "To the extent that an improved HTML standard accelerates innovation and consistent reach for web content, we?re very supportive."
Dave McAllister, an Adobe Evangelist, said last year that, "for Adobe, 'open' is all aspects of communications and technologies. For us, those are open source, standards, and community. [...] We make sure that we talk to our communities, that we play with the standards groups, [...] We are actually one of the most open companies that are active."
Earlier this month, Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch said that ?Adobe supports HTML and its evolution.?
Despite all these supportive public comments however, Adobe was seen to be working to block the HTML5 specification, particularly in the realm of the canvas element. While HTML5 is often contrasted with Flash as a means for supporting video playback, the new HTML5 canvas element presents a direct threat to Flash as a way to add animation or navigation elements to a webpage.
The HTML5 canvas element also supports the creation of web games, advertisements, and other interactive content, a feature set that will make its adoption a direct threat to Adobe's Flash platform.
Adobe has been working to incite interest and talk about Flash, particularly on the iPhone, iPod touch and the new iPad, none of which support Flash.
Comments
The problem is not Adobe, but the process. No one company should be able to block a standards adoption like this unless the process itself is flawed enough to allow it. Fix the process, don't denounce Adobe (morally in the wrong as they may be) by using the rules to their advantage.
Spare me the common Republican mantra of morality.
This is a business maneuver, no more no less.
Pure fear.
Fear? But they do their own stunts..
One thing to note is that Canvas can be very processor intensive, just like Flash. At think point Flash is a much better alternative but I'm certain that won't be the case in a couple years.
Here a couple nifty demos:Canvas works on the iPhone and likely Android phones though many aspects won't be usable because, like Flash, it is designed for a keyboard and mouse, not multi-touch. Like Flash, you can also see your phone have issue with the CPU-heavy uses of Canvas.
...don't denounce Adobe (morally in the wrong as they may be...
so they're morally wrong but we shouldn't denounce them? What? Why don't I understand? Oh! Because that doesn't make sense.
so they're morally wrong but we shouldn't denounce them? What? Why don't I understand? Oh! Because that doesn't make sense.
It does if you think (ie. use your brain). FIX THE PROCESS. Stop Adobe from being able to do this! It's not as if asking them to stop is going to work, so remove their ability to do so (which never should have existed in the first place.) Duh?
Ed
It does if you think (ie. use your brain). FIX THE PROCESS. Stop Adobe from being able to do this! It's not as if asking them to stop is going to work, so remove their ability to do so (which never should have existed in the first place.) Duh?
Yeah, but that's like arguing if there were some legal loophole that allowed people to steal from or even kill other people, it would be wrong for us to complian about/condemn the people taking advantage of that loophole. they're two different issues, and one doesn't preclude the other.
So of course, we should lobby for improvements in the process. I have no problem with that.
And of course a company might put its own self-interest ahead of the general good. Corporations aren't eligible for sainthood.
It's not unlike the major powers that have veto rights in the UN, is it!
Spare me the common Republican mantra of morality.
This is a business maneuver, no more no less.
Spare me the common Democratic mantra of stealing from Peter to pay Paul.
This is just the have-nots trying to grab from the haves without having to do any work themselves.
Spare me the common Democratic mantra of stealing from Peter to pay Paul.
Why don't we just spare everyone any and all political commentary.
This is just the have-nots trying to grab from the haves without having to do any work themselves.
¿Que? HTML5 WGC is the "have notes" trying to grab from Abode without doing any work themselves? Are you not aware of the amount of time and effort that HTML5 will take from many corporations and individuals?
I am Apple. I have two cows. I give one to my neighbor, because I can.
I am Adobe. I have two cows. My neighbor has none. So?
I am Microsoft. I have two cows. I make a boatload of money selling really crappy software, but it somehow becomes the standard for corporate America. I want to help my starving neighbors, so I keep my two cows, but donate the bulk of my assets to "do good things" in faraway lands. My CPA loves me because I can write off the bulk of this, which in reality lets me keep more of my profits which lets me buy even more cows. But, I still don't give any cows to my neighbors.
There. That should do it. Now everyone will have something or some position they can be angry about. My work here is done.
Spare me the common Republican mantra of morality.
This is a business maneuver, no more no less.
Oh please, the man has a point of view not necessarily a demonstration of his politics. Carrying your line a little further, I guess you'd like the government to take over Adobe and right this wrong!!
Develop something better than Flash. It's old and outdated and should have been done away a long time ago. Adobe has the money and the talent to do better.
Adobe started to go downhill after November 12, 2007. They no longer have the talent.
Ed
Develop something better than Flash. It's old and outdated and should have been done away a long time ago. Adobe has the money and the talent to do better.
Where do they make their money with Flash? They dropped the licensing fees and usage restrictions for Flash and the runtime back in 2008. It seems to me they would be served best by making Flash CS the best app for creating HTML5-based sites with a built in fallback compiler for older browsers. I'd think this would make Adobe a lot of money while giving Flash an anchor for the inevitable lack of HTML5 in older browsers and sites that want to support video codecs your browser doesn't.