5 replies to this topic

[DarkLordofthePenguins]

Steve Ballmer is trying to acquire Adobe, a move that would give Microsoft complete control over Flash, Photoshop, Fireworks, and other software that many people depend on. If this acquisition were to take place, then, knowing Microsoft, they would do one of two things: either 1. kill Flash player for non-Windows operating systems and non-IE browsers, forcing anyone who wants to view Flash to use IE/Windows, or 2. kill Flash altogether and replace it with Silverlight.

I know there is an alternative to Microsoft Silverlight called Moonlight, which works on Linux and BSD, but is there an alternative to Flash, so that non-MS software won't be crippled by corporate greed?

PS. I wish we could just do away with corporate control over software altogether, or at least put legal limits on the anti-competitive business practices that seem to be so popular these days.

[WingedPanther]

I'm not aware of an alternative to the real Flash. What version of it do you have installed, and what issues are you having?

[DarkLordofthePenguins]

WingedPanther said:

I'm not aware of an alternative to the real Flash. What version of it do you have installed, and what issues are you having?

I'm not having an issue with Flash on my computer. My point is that Flash may no longer be available for non-Windows operating systems, assuming Microsoft gains control of it. They did it with Halo; they will probably do it here too. We need an open-source alternative so we aren't at the mercy of the gigantic, megalomaniacal corporations that control our digital world.

[WingedPanther]

I suspect it will be invented when the time comes. Of course, by then the combination of HTML5 and canvas + JS may make it irrelevant.

[alaukik]

There is indeed it is called gnash and the latest version claims to support all youtube videos

[mrlemke]

Gnash has worked fine for me, so far. I was able to view youtube with it.