HTML5將會終結Flash嗎？

網路開發人員向來視下一代網頁標準，即HTML 5.0為實現「Open Web」理想概念的不二指南。

這「Open Web」大勢所趨，甚至包括微軟，以及其研發中的Office 14。

於是，有人開始想到整個與HTML5與「Open Web」概念相抵觸的Flash跟Silverlight是不是死期不遠了？

前不久，Adobe的執行長Shantanu Narayen在被問到類似問題時，作了如是回答：

Sure. So I mean, to the extent that an improved HTML standard accelerates innovation and consistent reach for web content, we’re very supportive and clearly from the perspective of our tools, we will support the creation and management of HTML content to the level that they want.

I think it speaks increasingly to the realization that rich Internet applications and delivering engaging experiences is increasingly important to all of our customers. I think the challenge for HTLM 5 will continue to be how do you get a consistent display of HTML 5 across browsers. And when you think about when the rollout plans that are currently being talked about, they feel like it might be a decade before HTML 5 sees standardization across the number of browsers that are going to be out there.

So clearly supportive in terms of making sure as HTML 5 is evolving that we will support it in our web authoring tools but from the perspective of continuing to drive Flash and innovation around Flash and rich Internet applications, we still think that actually the fragmentation of browsers makes Flash even more important rather than less important.

Shantanu Narayen首先站在旗下除了Flash這個品牌之外的其他產品立場，表示Adobe絕對支持並配合推動新一代網頁標準HTML5。

接著，再以過往網路瀏覽器的多頭馬車各行其是，反將HTML5一軍。

最後，Shantanu Narayen回到Flash的立場把話說白：HTML5所面臨的最大挑戰，正好就是Flash鴻圖大展的最大利基。

換言之，短期內，Adobe根本不相信HTML5能夠真正成功地一統網路世界。

Shantanu Narayen的回答，顯然是在商言商，賣DreamWeaver時，就說支持HTML5；賣Flash時，就說網路瀏覽器多頭馬車，還是Flash最好不會失真。

然而，HTML5與Flash（或Silverlight）是否能夠並存？

HTML5 規範的共同編輯，同時也是Google員工的Ian Hickson作了這樣的回應：

They're single-vendor solutions [and] they don't really fit well into the Web platform,

It's always a problem when you're stuck with a single software provider -- what if they decide to abandon the product you're using? What if they decide to start charging? With an open platform, there's no such risk, since we have true competition, many vendors, and an open standard that anyone can implement.

It would be a terrible step backward if humanity's major development platform [the Web] was controlled by a single vendor the way that previous platforms such as Windows have been.

也就是說，可以的話，HTML5當然希望能夠終結Flash這種封閉、獨佔的網頁應用程式體系。

再回到前述提及Adobe執行長Shantanu Narayen的回答，他的意思則是說：Adobe絕對支持HTML5來終結Flash，如果它真的有那個能耐的話，就放膽來試試看吧。

Tags: HTML5, 網頁標準, Open Web, 瀏覽器, Web App, Silverlight, 微軟