Flash -vs- Applets

[Jesse Stay]

On 11/15/06, Paul Seamons <paul at seamons.com> wrote:
> > While they each have their strengths (see Greg's post), I prefer AJAX
> > when applicable, even with this GPL announcement.  It can do *almost*
> > everything Flash and Java can do, but with a more open architecture.
>
> That isn't quite true.  Flash can play video, move vector based images around
> (in a cross browser way), play sound, and on.  Applets can maintain a pipe
> back to the server.  Both Flash and Java can be arbitrarily designed with an
> large amounts of prebuilt widgets.  Once built they run the same everywhere
> that has the correct plugin.

Like I said, they all have their strengths, it can do *almost*
everything Flash and Java Applets can do. :-)  I think I read awhile
back about another "new AJAX" Google is using for Google Talk now
(can't remember what they termed it) that is syncronous - that would
be *very* nice, especially when Real-time transactions are needed.

> > To me, as an Open Source advocate, I have to prefer anything that
> > promotes others to take my code and improve it.  Despite Java being
> > OSS, the code is still protected from the end user without the person
> > who wrote it openly providing it.  I prefer something that openly
> > allows others to see what I wrote and how.
>
> AJAX applications by definition have a portion of code that resides on the
> server.  That portion is almost never Open.

That same portion of code is also stored on the server in a Java or
Flash app.  The advantage is the client portion of the code for AJAX
is visible to the user, whereas for a Java or Flash app it isn't.
It's the client part that's visible to the user in an AJAX app that
makes it special - otherwise it would just be a normal
CGI/Server-based app.

> > However, if it were a "crown-jewels" type of thing where I wanted to
> > protect my source as a company, maybe Java would be a viable
> > alternative, being open source.  I would probably then choose it over
> > Flash, because of the GPL.
>
> As I said in an earlier post - there WILL be other technologies that address
> some of these problems better than the current crop of solutions.

I think a agree with you here.  I would only *consider* Java - I still
have a bad taste in my mouth from previous experiences, as well as the
media advantages Flash has over it ATM.

Jesse

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