Briefly I will touch on the issue at hand here, and make some quick distinctions. I don’t think many people realize there are 2 battles that have been fought on the whole Apple/Flash madness. First is the Battle for the Flash Player. This would be the ability for Flash content to run inside Mobile Safari on Apple iDevices. The Second war was Native Applications, these are applications that you launch from your home screens much like the YouTube App, Mail App, iPod app, etc. Apple has officially closed the door on both of these, the Flash player will not be allowed into the mobile browser instead they will push the “HTML5″ standard for rich interactive web experiences. Native apps will only be created using a “supported language” which I believe are currently C, C++ or Objective C and these applications will be compiled through xCode.

In my personal opinion, and many others, this is a horribly douchey move (yes I said douchey). What is happening here is Apple is locking our a lot of innovation for the web. Lets start with the Flash Player, so Web only Experiences here. I am not sure where this horrible hate for Flash came from, but I can honestly say I own a mac at home and work with windows. I don’t have any crashing issues with Flash, and knowing how a majority of people treat there computer I have a hard time believing it is even a Flash player issue. What seems more likely to me is Flash getting a bad rep due to bad development practice.

Actionscript, the programming language behind Flash, is very simple as far as languages go. Much more human readable then lower level languages like C. I am not trying to dis on lower level languages, they are extremely powerful and create some amazing things, just merely saying Actionscript is an easy language to learn. The truth is though it is easy for almost anyone to experiment with it is also extremely powerful for those who really understand the workings of the language. Just like anything the experts will always be able to show you the true advantages. With this simplicity though comes a huge problem. We get a lot of “developers” creating Flash content that do not really understand what they are creating. We see a lot of work done through copy and pasting of code into frames or even just the reuse of buggy code, because it is so simple to do.Also due to the simplicity of Flash and the fact things can be made to “just work” very easily. A lot of people don’t bother to take the time to even understand what they are doing, or how they could do things better. Projects could be organized better, created for better re-usability and simply made less buggy. The fact that Flash stuff “just works” with crappy code also has changed the expectations of our clients. Clients see other companies and freelancers spitting out products in half the time, and start wondering why they are paying twice as much for something. As far as the client is concerned they just want it to work, they don’t care if your code is organized properly or made to run at its best efficiency for the computer. though I think soon enough with the move into mobile markets clients will be much more concerned with those features. Right now we simply don’t have a demand for extremely well built things, we have this demand to make something amazing in a month, if we are lucky! With these extreme deadlines comes sacrifice, developers are expected to get something working first and foremost, that has to be there! if it doesn’t work we fail. So we spend our time making it work, things like error checking, performance optimization, and even security fall off to the side. this is not because we don’t want our products to be perfect, its because we simply don’t have the time. This is the nature of this business, it wont change. clients will not pay more when a freelancer will do the “same thing” for 1/4th the price. Sadly we have cut ourselves off at the heels with this one.

To sum all that up what I am saying I completely disagree with everything that is being thrown at Adobe and the Flash Player. The Flash Player is very stable and enables us to do so much across multiple platforms. The problem lies in the industry. If enough people create shitty things, suddenly everyone is going to that the technology they are using is shitty. This is not a fault of the technology people, get your heads out of your asses. Stop blaming Flash, especially people that have no idea the power that Flash has. If we want better quality, lets just stop abusing Flash and create better content. its that simple. Stop creating shit that is insecure and buggy. Stop creating banners that abuse the CPU. Lets simply be better then that.

Ok so that was my rant on the Flash Player, lets take a look at native applications. This argument simply baffles me beyond all understanding. Adobe was not allowed to run its Flash or AIR runtime on the iPhone, ok I get that that’s fine, but then Adobe went and created a compiler. This argument is not about Flash, this argument is about a compiler. For those arguing that Flash will not work as a native app, you have no idea what you are talking about. This has nothing at all to do with Flash, and “Flash” people are not upset about this because Flash wont be running on the iPhone. why are we all pissed? because you have cut out actionscript as a development language for these device’s. The new iPhone compiler in Flash Professional CS5 does not create Flash Content, not in the normal sense. We do not get a file that runs inside the Flash player. We get a native application for the iPhone. I really feel people do not understand this. we are not running Flash, actionscript is being compiled into a native application. This is HUGE! why!? because actionscript can also be compiled into AIR, and into a SWF, and who knows what other things Adobe could compile for in the future. The point is I can create an application one time, using my actionscript codebase and compile out to Android, windows, mac, iDevices, the web, EVERYTHING. I do not need to re-write my application for other devices. This is the CORE of Adobe, delivery across devices. Apple has single handedly managed to cut down years of innovation in this world. People! this has NOTHING to do with Flash, this is about control over the device. Apple does not want applications running on all devices. If you have the same applications for android as you do for the iDevices, AND the android device is cheaper and able to run a variety of different technologies obviously the iDevice will fade away. Apple definitely does not want this. the choice to not allow Adobe to compile down to a native application is so absolutely anti-open it makes me actually angry when Apple plays the openness card. Are you absolutely insane?! The Apple system is the LEAST open of any system I have ever worked with. EVER. This is in the nature of Apple. It always has been. the other argument I hear as that a application sent through Adobes compiler will not perform as well as one written purely in a “acceptable” language. To this I say you MIGHT be right, this very well could be true. Native C applications are very powerful, and very stable, only if they are written well. For all those C, C++ and Objective C Developers I say that’s awesome. Write your applications and you will have to comply to the same standards as anyone else. A solid, stable, well performing application. I would also say that the responsibility of creating good applications is on the developer. Saying that “I think apps compiled from Flash will run worse” is idiotic. Let developers innovate, hell Flash developers are used to this kind of innovation. Do not cut off the possibility of pushing technologies further ahead because “you think they will suck”. They won’t suck! because there will be a demand to make them not suck. Developers will advance and find ways to make applications perform better, and use less battery. Adobe will also innovate to make the compiler work better and create more efficient applications. Look people this is NOT about replacing the iPhone with all Flash, its about allowing us the option. Its about giving developers another tool, another way to creative experiences and build amazing content. Just because there is a lot of shit in the industry doesn’t mean that everything Flash is shit. It just means we need up push up the bar on what we create. I think it is absolutely ridiculous that Apple is cutting out other languages. We are not trying to replace, hell we are even following your rules and creating exactly what you have asked for. We are not asking for a virtual machine, or a run-time. We simply want the opportunity to use the tools and the languages we are familiar with to create applications for this hardware. Honestly if this doesn’t exist, we will simply move on to better companies that offer the same hardware. Apple did you learn nothing from your mistakes in the PC world? People want a choice! they do not want to be babysat, and ruled. You will lose this battle, again!

Ok all this being said, no matter how much we yell and scream, I don’t think anyone’s mind is going to change. To much has been made public and too much has been set into stone on this Adobe/Apple thing. If Apple is 100% set on not allowing Flash or even actionscript to thrive in their world there is simply nothing we can do about it. As far as HTML5 debate goes I am all for a open standard for HTML5, I think some of the cool features and amazing things coming up will be awesome to use. HTML5, whatever that means now, is not a replacement for anything. It is a evolution of HTML, and a much needed one. Will it replace Flash? No, that’s stupid also. Not because I am a Flash developer its stupid because Flash is a different type of technology. If HTML can standardize video that would amazing! I would love to have a set way to embed basic video into a website. I would be totally fine without needing to use Flash for basic video. That should not remove the fact that I CAN use Flash for video. There are a lot of times I can still see using Flash for a lot of interactive video, composite ineractive experiences and create rich experiences with video, of course I want Flash for that!

I am a complete advocate of don’t use Flash when you don’t need too. I see a lot of stupid uses of Flash, people who create a site that should NOT be done in Flash purely for the ability to have some silly animation somewhere, or who knows the stupid reasons sometimes. Flash is not the solution, HTML5 is not the solution, they are all tools for creation. Dear LORD people PLEASE leave the choice of what the solution should be to the people that create and innovate the content. DO NOT let these companies start to force solutions. Apple, Microsoft, Google, etc, your job is to provide unique operating system experiences at this point. Browsers should be done in the same way. A lot of people like IE, and some like Firefox or Chrome or whatever browser we want. The choice should be up to us, not up to you. I do not want to have to use Objective C, or javascript, or XAML or Actionscript, I simply want the choice to use whatever i think is the BEST solution for the problem. We are problem solvers, do not come in here and tell us we have to use hammers, when we know there are better tools for the job.

I also want to say “HTML5″ I love this idea, and I am all for it but I have been down the road of web standards before. I know the pains of developing something for IE, and Firefox that will play nicely together. Your world of standards has not instilled me with the most confidence. I REALLY hope you get it right this time, because I am excited to use your technologies, but I swear to you if we are moving back to the days if IE detection scripts I am going to punch someone in the sack, I swear it. It will only inflate the costs of our products for really no reason what so ever.

Lastly I just want to touch on my view of standards in general. Adobe is great about openness, the fact that Steve Jobs has crapped on that amazing part of Adobe is really sad. Adobe has done a frickin AWESOME job of keeping Flash very open. Hell you can create your own damn Flash Player if you want too, the spec is open. Also is there anywhere at Apple or actually any other big company that has a open bug database for a major product? I mean I dunno of any non-open source product with a open community bug database. Right now if i have a problem with the Flash Player I could go submit it to the Flash team. This simply does not exist anywhere else. Apple you are full of crap and just playing a vocabulary game with the word open. Give it up.

How about this, Adobe releases all the code for the Flash Player, say they do this tomorrow. They release the Adobe Flash Player onto GIT hub and ask Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Firefox to create there own “standardized” interpreter, will you be happy then? Would we need HTML5? If we just had a open source Flash Player that all companies were implementing. Hell I don’t think HTML5 is really much different. That could be a very interesting move from Adobe, they create amazing development products, they make no money off the Flash Player. There money comes in content creation. The ability to control the innovation of the Flash Player simply allows them to push the authoring tool and the player version forward at the same time. This is why I think the HTML5 standard as a evolution is going to actually suck, horribly.

If we want to innovate the “HTML5″ standard say in the future technology evolves, wow what an idea there, and suddenly we want to add something to the standard. Not only do we have to agree its a great idea to standardize it, we also have to get Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Mozilla all to agree it’s awesome and to agree on how they will innovate it. Then if we can get them all to agree and move forward we have to wait for all the companies to go off on there own and create this. Once that is finally done we have to wait for everyone to distribute the update to everyone uses the product. HOLY CRAP that’s stupid. that is the stupidest slowest possible was to manage our fast moving technology I have ever heard. Why is this better then the Flash model? The Flash Player is only updated by Adobe, yes I know that is what most people think is the “problem” but really its great. Adobe has been amazing in listening to the community for advancements. I would much rather trust Adobe to push innovation then put my livelihood in the hands of Apple/Microsoft/Google/Etc. Hell Apple is so set on controlling everything right now I cant imagine them agreeing on anything with anyone unless they could own 60% of something. Adobe has an amazing distribution network. The Flash Player can update in months. In 4 – 6 months we can see an extremely high penetration of the newest Flash Player, why the hell would we want to go back to waiting for 4 or 5 different companies to get there shit together. I feel like I am falling back to 1992.

So what am I going to do now? Well I am going to get back to work on a multi-touch application using Adobe Air, and guess what it doesn’t have a single rollover! (what kind of idiotic argument is that, who even thinks of this shit, have they ever used a computer?) I will continue to use Flash as it is the best solution to the problems that are brought before me. I will be learning everything I can about upcoming technologies be it HTML5, or whatever is to come. I will always be keeping these tools available to me as I said I am a problem solver. I think the best people in this industry are problem solvers. Our jobs are not only to solve the problem but decide on the best tools to do so with. As far as Apple goes, I currently own an iPad and a iPhone and I can tell you Apple’s selfishness and just outright closed minded look at the future of technology has turned me off. I used to be such a fan of your work Apple, but you tricked me. Your just as bad and selfish as any of the others. I will be finding myself an android device, in both the tablet market and the phone market. I will continue to look for companies that allow me to solve problems correctly, not companies that force me into solving problems their way. I don’t appreciate being approved of, watched over, or corralled like a group of cows into the Apple warehouse. Its just not going to happen.

I apologize for the lengthiness of this article, I don’t usually write something like this, but this whole tech war has us developers caught right in the middle, and I really think it is a sad sad thing. Hell if you want to write in qBasic and compile for the iPhone and someone makes a compiler I say more power to you, and I will look forward to the gorilla game on my device soon! Thanks a lot of reading, if anyone even got this far!

Hello again, in this tutorial I am going to go over Multitouch, IntelliJ, and Air 2.0 beta 2, along with SimTouch and the MSA Remote for the iPhone . We will be looking at how to setup IntelliJ to compile and run a Air 2 beta 2 project, inside this project we will add Multitouch events and use the iPhone to send those events to the air app. The iPhone will act as a simulator for a touch screen. Currently the SimConnect class we will be using only supports TOUCH_BEGIN, TOUCH_MOVE, and TOUCH_END events, thought hopefully we will see this extend out into gesture support. This tutorial is a bit long, and kinda advanced you should have an idea on how to create a Air app in Flex/Flash Builder already and be somewhat familiar with the IntelliJ IDE. Below are all the links I use in the tutorial, hopefully this saves you all time. Thanks again for stopping in, I will keep trying to push out tutorials as much as I can!

Tutorial Links

• Flex 4 SDK
• Adobe Air 2.0b2 SDK
• SimTouch Google Code Project
• MSA Remote iPhone App

In this tutorial I will be going over how to get IntelliJ working with the Flash IDE. We will look at configuring a Actionscript only project in IntelliJ and then running a Bash Script to call the Flash IDE. We will be using a shell script I have ported over from my TextMate Bundle you can download that below. For those just getting started with IntelliJ I recommend read Jesse Freeman’s IntelliJ Workflow Tutorial before you start into this.

For Windows Users the process is very similar except you cannot use the Bash Support Plugin you need to use the Batch Plugin. Sadly at the time of writing this the Batch Plugin in the “available plugins” section of intelliJ does not work so you need to download the Lastest  Batch Plugin from Google Code. Once you download this simply place the jar file it in your “C:\Users\{username}\.IntelliJIdea90\config\plugins” folder and restart IntelliJ. You will want to confirm it installed correctly by going to your IntelliJ Settings Panel and looking under IDE Settings -> Plugins to confirm that under the Installed  tab y0u see Batch Scripts Support with a check mark to the left.  Now when you edit your configuration instead of choosing Bash choose Batch and point it at the .bat file you download from this site. A quick warning the Batch Plugin does not seem to support folders with spaces in them, so you will need to be aware of that when you place your .BAT file, do not nest it inside any folders with spaces.

Hopefully this will help some more people feel comfortable moving over into the IntelliJ environment. Trust me you won’t regret it, especially if you are a Mac users looking for a good Actionscript coding environment. Thanks for stopping by! check back for more tutorials soon!

Download the: “Publish in Flash IDE” Shell Script For Mac

Download the: “Publish in Flash IDE” Shell Script For Windows

For those looking for the updated Extreme Video Plugin Here you go: Extreme Video Plugin 2.9.4

Regardless he is up and running now, I really got interested when I saw this AIR application to control your Nabaztag Bunny. There are a lot of other cool apps, widgets, and games out there. So I recommend checking one out if you get a chance!

-ross