Happy Birthday Flash! 10 years old today
Flash, the web software that helps power the likes of YouTube, MySpace and Google Video, plus countless others, is ten years old today.
Wired News has posted a brief history of its life, plus a lengthy interview with Mike Downey, Flash senior project manager at Adobe, about its history and future.
Initially developed by the software company Future Wave as SmartSketch – an illustration program for the Tablet PC – it was renamed FutureSplash in 1996, then taken over by Macromedia and renamed Flash. Last year, Adobe acquired Macromedia.
According to a recent survey, Flash is installed by 98% of web users – no more ‘plugin not found’ screens.
Adobe have set up a microsite commemorating Flash,
where you can vote on the most influential Flash website of all time,
and read accounts of developers and designers who’ve used it.
The Wired interview is well worth a read, too, if you’re interested in
the future of Flash. and covers usability issues, Linux availability,
64-bit development, and compatibility with mobile devices.
Read
