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Adobe decided to gradually end support for Flash
STATES CHRONICLE – Many software producers, including Adobe itself, admitted the end was near for Flash. Now, the company has finally given a sentence on the software’s life. It will continue receiving support until 2020. Then, they will no longer produce neither distribute Flash.
Flash gradually became outdated
Many years ago, having Flash installed was a must if you wanted to enjoy graphical interfaces which were too much for JavaScript and basic HTML. However, technology evolved, and many other tools and improvements have gradually taken its place in our browsers. Recently, the last piece has been added (namely DRM-protected video support into HTML5), rendering the classic plug-in useless.
Therefore, Adobe and several other companies decided to gradually eliminate from browsers. They decided to offer patches and support for Flash up until the end of 2020. However, in certain areas, Adobe will end support more quickly.
There are still some gaps which need to be filled before ending support
The plug-in might have become outdated some time ago, but ending its support is a bit drastic. The plug-in helped with the development of complex graphics and interactive content, and there are still some features which haven’t been taken over by other tools.
This time, Adobe has been working on bringing some of Flash’s capabilities to HTML5. Also, other features are now no longer just tools used by Flash, and are more accessible and dedicated to improve the interactive experience. However, those tools strictly related to coding didn’t find a replacement yet, and such a loss might be crucial.
More importantly, Flash granted access to many games and animations which risk remaining inaccessible after 2020. Adobe didn’t find a way to let us access the huge legacy left by the plug-in. By 2020, the company might find a way to get rid of this huge gap. If not, we might suffer quite a big loss which will be difficult to fill.
Image Source: Flickr
