2012/2/27 David Arno <da...@davidarno.org>
> As the topic of targeting HTML5 has been raised numerous times > here, I figured it was time to start thinking in detail about how we might > do this. > > In doing this though, I started to question whether there was any really > point to it. > > I think the argument about Linux here has distracted us from the main point, which I feel is a valid thought: Are we better to invest into getting Flex to compile to HTML5, or to choose to rely solely on the Flash environment and invest that effort into simply improving Flex on Flash? I must admit that I have watched the discussions about targetting HTML5 on this list and asked myself a number of times "is it worth the effort?", or rather "is it the right place to invest resources?" Here are some points I feel are relevant to the question: - Adobe is a commercial business, and will support Flash as long as and only as long as they feel it is in their commercial interests. They seem to have a history of making sudden changes without fear of the possibility of irritating users. - Targeting HTML5 will require a lot of effort. And changes to the AS3 language. - By the time Flex-on-HTML5 (FOH?) is available, equivalent HTML5-only frameworks such as ZK or GWT will have advanced substantially. - Developer time on an open source project is not fixed but rather related to motivation. That is, if some people really believe in FOH, telling them not to do it will not necessarily cause them to redirect their time into improving Flex on Flash. They might just spend that time on YouTube instead. Lastly yet most importantly, I feel that the project should have an aim or reason. So for those that support FOH, what is the aim or reason? - If the aim is to postpone the inevitable death of Flex, then you are basically arguing that FOH will keep current users interested in Flex for longer. I think that is true but only in a limited manner, but I stand willing to be convinced. - If the aim is to keep Flex alive and active indefinitely, then you will need to win new users, so you are basically arguing that FOH will attract new users in competition with HTML5-only frameworks. You need to take a big step back and put on your "impartiality cap" to try and evaluate whether that is in fact the case. John.
