Thoughts on Apple’s Hypocricy
This one is going to be as short as I can make it, and to the point. Apple is getting more and more ridiculous in their anti-Flash arguments. Anyone who knows me knows I hate Flash (because it breaks the web…especially keyboard-based control of my browser), but it should be my choice whether to use it, not Apple's.
So, I brought this up a few weeks ago when Steve Jobs posted his Thoughts On Flash. Taken out of context:
"Adobe’s Flash products are 100% proprietary. They are only available from Adobe, and Adobe has sole authority as to their future enhancement, pricing, etc. While Adobe’s Flash products are widely available, this does not mean they are open, since they are controlled entirely by Adobe and available only from Adobe. By almost any definition, Flash is a closed system."
Everyone that reads the post will know I pulled this out of context…but his passing reference to Apple's proprietary products doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of how absurdly closed the whole iPhoneOS ecosystem is. Apple is guilty of all that and more.
But Jobs has a plan. And that plan is HTML5. Apple's hypocrisy has reached new heights with the release of the HTML5 Showcase, a source for applications that don't use Adobe's proprietary add-ons to the web. No, these apps are based on "web standards [that] are open, reliable, highly secure, and efficient. They allow web designers and developers to create advanced graphics, typography, animations, and transitions. Standards aren’t add-ons to the web. They are the web. And you can start using them today."
Awesome, let's get started! Oh wait:
So…let's get this straight — Apple doesn't want you to download anything from Adobe, but they'll be happy to have you install a new browser. At least Flash is available on my Ubuntu laptop that I'm typing this on.
All this is to say: it seems as though Apple is becoming less and less reasonable in its positions as it gains market share. I recently ditched my Macbook for a Ubuntu-powered Dell Latitude 13n (which I'm typing this on). I have to say, I haven't been disappointed. I'll be replacing my Mac desktop as well if Apple can't convince me that this is all some sort of fever-dream aberration on their part.
