David Tan
Posts: 155
Location: Kualalumpur, Malaysia
Registered: 31 Mar 2010
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Firefox VP = Goodbye Flash!
Posted: 14 Mar 2011 at 6:49 GMT
updated: 14 Mar 2011 at 6:58 GMT
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www.minyanville.com/dailyfeed/adobe-flash-is-doom...
www.fastcompany.com/1737377/firefox-vp-flash-is-g...
Here comes HTML5...
So, what happens next with Pano2VR, KRpano, FPP, Flashificator, and the rest Pano Viewers that use Flash? Is there gonna be a transition this year from Flash to HTML5 in Pano Viewing?
Jay Sullivan (Mozilla's Vice President):
"HTML5 is the longer-term answer"
"We're on that path now"
"God forbid Flash were to crash"
As I understand from the articles above, all the VR will no longer be vieweable in Flash in Firefox's next version, correct?
What are your thoughts on this Flash abandonment from Apple and Firefox?
Are Chrome and IE going to follow suit?
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Tactus 360
Posts: 1245
Location: Tynset, Norway
Registered: 2 Sep 2010
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Re: Firefox VP = Goodbye Flash!
Posted: 14 Mar 2011 at 8:32 GMT
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Whilst I think that HTML5 is a reality, which must be something envisaged by program authors (for exmample, as seen in Pano2vr providing output settings for i devices), there is little that is going to affect us in the immediate future. Firstly, it is important to note that whilst people are keen to complain when they don't like a product, almost to the point of being vehemently against it, those who are quite satisfied are less likely to say so.
Firefox have, for some time, tried their best to provide the world with a browser, mail reader, etc., that breaks the hold that Bill Gates has had on the internet world. Similarly, the onslaught of Opera, Google Chrome, and the like have helped to de-monopolise the market. And quite rightly so.
However, it seems to me that the browser wars (I hope I have coined a phrase here) have become something that is less than altruistic.
People have a gripe against multi-billion dollar organisations - think back to when Adobe absorbed Macromedia some years ago, thereby cornering nearly all the graphics' market.
This instance seems to be something akin to that. Whilst I am certain that it all began with the best possible intentions, it is rapidly coming down to an Us vs Them situation. The only outcome is that those of us who happily use Flash, which must be the majority if internet users, will also have something serious to say if, one day, it is unavailable. Then Jay Sullivan will find that the tables have turned.
No one in their right mind would create a browser into which you cannot install the Flash plugin; it would be the death-knell for that particular browser. If they do, and we, like sheep, accept it, you can bet your life that Adobe will be finding a way of creating a plugin that bypasses any security protocols, if they are not doing so now.
Sadly, I wish Adobe would put into the development of Flash just a tiny proportion of the funds they seem to be putting into the Creative Suite. It is quirky, and as one who streams a lot of programs through a laptop to my TV, which crashes continually because of Flash's processor hunger, I wish to God it were better.
But I think also that it is here to stay in one form or another. Ignore iPhones and iPads, HTML5 might be on the cards, but I doubt that any developer will ignore the impact of Flash, or the impact that it will have in not allowing Flash to be used by countless millions of internet users.
Jon
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Doug Aurand
Posts: 3282
Location: Albuquerque, NM, United States
Registered: 2 Jan 2008
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Re: Firefox VP = Goodbye Flash!
Posted: 14 Mar 2011 at 14:16 GMT
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David
Environmentalists predicted the demise of gasoline powered vehicles, that they would be replaced by electric car, since the first Earth Day in the USA on April 22, 1970.
Needless to say, 40 years later gas powered autos still dominate, with a few electric cars only selling because of large tax credits in the USA
So I wouldn't get too concerned for a few years
Doug Aurand
Albuquerque, NM
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DennisS
Posts: 1292
Location: Los Anglels, United States
Registered: 1 Sep 2007
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Re: Firefox VP = Goodbye Flash!
Posted: 14 Mar 2011 at 16:07 GMT
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Does anyone have any good hard facts supporting the popularity of FireFox? If that user group is in the minority, there is nothing to worry about when a minor player decides to abandon a very popular application.
Anyone remember Netscape? Bill took care of that.
When Microsoft announces the end of support for Flash, that would be cause for concern.
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Tactus 360
Posts: 1245
Location: Tynset, Norway
Registered: 2 Sep 2010
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Re: Firefox VP = Goodbye Flash!
Posted: 14 Mar 2011 at 16:17 GMT
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Well, according to my web logs, only 14,4% of visitors to my site use Firefox, whereas the majority (over 50%) are using Safari. I don't know if this reflects anything, though. I know I prefer using FF, since I don't like the quirkiness of Internet Explorer.
I might settle with Safari, however, since it is a nice, clean browser.
Jon
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Jarredja
Posts: 83
Location: Keller, TX, United States
Registered: 26 Oct 2009
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Re: Firefox VP = Goodbye Flash!
Posted: 14 Mar 2011 at 16:32 GMT
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As I understand from the articles above, all the VR will no longer be vieweable in Flash in Firefox's next version, correct?
What are your thoughts on this Flash abandonment from Apple and Firefox?
Are Chrome and IE going to follow suit?
The articles do NOT in any way state that they will stop supporting Flash with the next version. IMO, they are simply predicting that most developers will jump on the HTML5 bandwagon and therefore render Flash obsolete. This will happen, eventually to what we currently know of as Flash!! That IS what happens with technology. Flash is currently used on so many websites, whichever browser jumps off the Flash bandwagon by turning off suppport before the time is right will lose many users.
And remember, Trausti posted a timeframe of HTML5 development of standards. It is still very much in the development stages. Our panorama viewer developers can and will adapt to support their products. Many already have, to an extent.
Jarred
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Terry Montague
Posts: 342
Location: Boise Idaho, United States
Registered: 31 Oct 2008
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Re: Firefox VP = Goodbye Flash!
Posted: 14 Mar 2011 at 16:40 GMT
updated: 14 Mar 2011 at 16:43 GMT
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David Tan said: As I understand from the articles above, all the VR will no longer be vieweable in Flash in Firefox's next version, correct?
I can't seem figure out how you drew this conclusion from the article. I think it can be said that FF is pro HTML 5 for sure, but releasing a browser that cuts off all flash content would be suicide.
-Terry
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OrmarT
Posts: 85
Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Registered: 11 Mar 2006
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Tactus 360
Posts: 1245
Location: Tynset, Norway
Registered: 2 Sep 2010
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Re: Firefox VP = Goodbye Flash!
Posted: 14 Mar 2011 at 17:41 GMT
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Two very different sets of statistics...
Jon
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Hans Nyberg
Posts: 2791
Location: Denmark
Registered: 28 Aug 2005
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DemonDuck
Posts: 312
Location:
Registered: 10 Mar 2011
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Re: Firefox VP = Goodbye Flash!
Posted: 14 Mar 2011 at 18:55 GMT
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FF is almost 80% in Antarctica....
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mr vr
Posts: 99
Location: Ireland
Registered: 18 Sep 2008
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Re: Firefox VP = Goodbye Flash!
Posted: 14 Mar 2011 at 19:18 GMT
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How on earth did you come to the conclusion that they will stop supporting flash???
There is no doubt about it that HTML5 will take over flash as it is developed further, but at the moment flash is by far the best medium to publish tours.
I personally cannot wait to get rid of flash, but it will be a good few years before flash is dead. I do worry however that as Adobe lose more ground that they will cease updating flash and that is what will be it's end.
Anyone remember Java and QT???
I seem to remember Trausti (spelling?) from FPP completely denying that he needs to develop a version of FPP for html5. At the moment it seems to be the only one not supporting it, and I imagine it is slowly dropping as a popular format for publishing tours as Pano2vr, KRpano and others zoom ahead.
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Judy-A
Posts: 525
Location: Edmonton, Canada
Registered: 20 Jan 2010
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Re: Firefox VP = Goodbye Flash!
Posted: 14 Mar 2011 at 19:25 GMT
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The majority of visitors to my Canadian panorama site are from the US, Canada and Great Britain.
Browsers:
Firefox 53.3%
Google Chrome 19.9%
Safari 12%
MS Internet Explorer 10.7%
IPhone 1.4% (I’m loosing all of these visitors because my panos are Flash only)
Android 0.8%
Opera 0.4%
No one comes to my site for news or financial information, so I’m probably attracting more people on their home machines (where they can install their browser of choice) than on office computers (where software is mandated by an IT department).
Judy
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mr vr
Posts: 99
Location: Ireland
Registered: 18 Sep 2008
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Re: Firefox VP = Goodbye Flash!
Posted: 14 Mar 2011 at 19:44 GMT
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Judy, that seems a very high %'age for FF.
For my site (estate agents, in Ireland) it's around 50% IE, then the remainder being FF (25%) then chrome and safari.
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Ed 360
Posts: 30
Location: London, United Kingdom
Registered: 25 Oct 2007
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