My point of view

I don’t like flash. I recently uninstalled the Flash plugin in my browser. After tweeting this I received some – let’s call them unfriendly – DMs that I have no idea what I’m talking about and that I should just shut up.

Let me give you a short version what I really think of Flash

IT JUST SUCKS

I said I’ll go with the short version. If you want more details read on, if you don’t care skip to the next headline.

Everything Flash does is consuming valuable system resources. I still work with my HP/Compaq NX7000. I have a Pentium M 1.5GHz, 2GB Ram and a Radeon 9200 mobile graphic chip. This notebook works for me. I can do all my work, I can surf the web, work on my projects and do everything else except browsing websites that use Flash.

Okay enough drama. I can, of course, browse pages that use Flash. But my CPU is running at 100%, my battery runs dry and my legs are warming up.

I have only seen one website I find at least a bit useful using Flash and that’s YouTube. Yes I know there is Vimeo and other sites that do exactly the same but let’s just stick with the big one. I can live without YouTube. Yeah, call me crazy but this is no joke. I am still not as 2.0 as I wanted to be and somehow I am thankful that I missed my goals. I don’t feel the pressure to publish new content, to take a vacation from Twitter or to run away from my blog.

Short version as conclusion

I don’t use Flash, I don’t like Flash, I don’t need Flash.

Maybe now some of you understand why I don’t care about iPhones and iPads without Flash.

Mac improvements are coming

You may ask why I write this post and that’s okay. I just hit word 346 and still did nothing beside flaming Flash. There is an article on AppleInsider and I just cannot resist writing a comment that wouldn’t fit in the comments on AppleInsider.

I won’t comment Jobs statement that Adobe is lazy. I know many things I’d call them, lazy is not included.

“If Flash stayed stagnant, it would certainly go away,” he said. “But it’s not going to stay stagnant. We’re going to keep innovating.”

Flash is innovative. Great joke. What’s the next one? Windows is the best OS for every task?

What can Flash do?

• act as a media player for sites like YouTube
• eat up a lot system resources
• crash
• security holes for free
• you can create advertisements using many sound files so you cannot surf the web without muting your speakers
• always require an update when you need fast access to your browser

Yeah Flash is innovative and China is a democracy.

Why did Flash become famous?

There is only one reason why Flash became famous. Well, maybe two, but number two is YouTube and I am sure they would have found another way to deliver videos.

Back in the dark days of the internet there was only one easy way to create interactive content. Flash. Everyone started using it, many people were not happy but there were no viable alternatives.

Some competitors appeared but they had no chance. Requiring additional addons, new development environments and a total new syntax without giving something back, no overvalue, is no way to attract developers.

Why Apple is doing it right

Apple is going for HTML5. With HTML5 there is no need for Flash if you want to provide videos for your users. And as I just said, this is the only reasons why we still see Flash on websites (okay maybe also because some people still didn’t get that Flash sucks and that there is no reason using it). Webdesigners understood that using standards is a good idea. And now they’ll get a alternative that will work on standard compliant browsers. What do you think they’ll do?

Many users are not happy about Apples decision. I can understand this. I don know what sites they are visiting but if they think they need Flash I can understand it.

But thinking about future Apple is doing it right. They don’t waste resources on a technology that should be dead for at least 5 years now. They work on a new technology that will bring benefits for everyone using it. They focus on standards that can be used by everyone.

That’s what I call innovative.

Let’s start with the obvious – I posted a list what I’d like to see.

• iPhone OS: check
• Mutlitasking: no (?)
• flash: no
• bluetooth: no (?)
• handwriting: no
• synchronization: yes

everything that is marked with a ? is something I didn’t find enough informations to make sure it is correct.

Let’s be honest.

Multitasking

I want my IM open and surf the web. I am perfectly capable of doing two things. No multitasking sucks.

Switching applications like virtual desktops (spaces) would also be okay. I don’t have to see my IM window all the time. But closing my browser, starting my IM client, closing IM and starting the browser just sucks.

Flash

Some of you know that I use noScript as one of my favorite Firefox extensions. I don’t use flash. Never ever. I have it installed if I want to watch a movie on YouTube but that’s it.

Of course it is a argument for all those little trolls out there that don’t even know when they use Flash,… but thats everything. I just don’t care. But I’m interested why they don’t support flash or if they are working on it.

Handwriting

No paperless office?

We’ll see who is first submitting a note taking application,…

please: don’t say Evernote. Don’t even think about it.

Synchronization

It should work fine with MobileMe. And since I switched to it again I don’t think I’ll have problems with it.

But I’m still looking forward to see if we’ll be able to integrate it in an existing OSX server powered network.

Accessories

I don’t know if I’ll like the leather bag, but I’ll buy the docking station with the keyboard.

I am used to use a keyboard to write without looking at it. This works because I have some kind of feedback when I press a key. This won’t work with the on screen keyboard.

Now here come the big news:

The iPad will be a complete system with this accessory. Just write mails, check Facebook and message some people, surf the web and do whatever you like to do to distract you from your work.

Why you should buy a iPad when you could just switch to another desktop? Easy answer: you don’t have to use one space for private distractions. And if you want to sit under a tree you just go there and take everything you need for your break with you.

While sitting at my desk I want a keyboard because it offers a lot more comfort (I think). That’s why this is a must have for me.

Btw. no a BlackBerry or PalmPre keyboard is not superior to a on screen keyboard on the iPhone – you cannot use it blind.

Will I buy it?

Yes. Because it works for me. Let me start with a little story.

I talked to a friend and told him that I am not using a groupware anymore because it didn’t fit in my workflow. He was some kind of shocked because some years ago I’d just have changed my workflow.

What changed? I grew up. Why should I change something that is perfectly fine only to use some hip stuff?

When I get up in the morning I do two things after showering. I drink my coffee and I eat breakfast. While drinking my coffee I check my mails, read some RSS Feeds and take a look at some sites like CuteOverload or Ensidia to see if there is something new and interesting.

This is why the tablet is great for me. It’s light. It just works. It’s easy to use with one hand. It has every feature I need.

I found myself sitting on my couch and using my iPhone to check if there is something new, to read some tweets and so on. Why did I use my iPhone? Because I just wanted to do this one thing. There was no need to boot my Laptop. So you say the iPad is just a big iPod touch? Fine. Works for me.

Project media center

I’m planing to use a MacMini with EyeTV, XBMC and some other stuff as media center to get rid of my two digital receivers (one to record shows, one for Sky), my old DVD player and the cable to my Laptop.

I think I’ll use the iPad as remote. Could be really cool if it works.

Work

The iPad cannot replace my notebook. At least not if no one is releasing a “handwriting note taking application”.

Will I use it for presentations? No.

I always have my Laptop with me because I just need some software that isn’t running on the iPad or OSX and VirtualBox won’t work on the iPad.

Should you buy it?

If it works for you yes.

If you need or want a Laptop don’t buy it. But also don’t buy one of this creepy netbooks. Get a MacBook Air.

Conclusion

Instead of writing one by myself I just copy two excerpts of blogs I have in my feed reader.

The first one is from Jeff Croft

This thing is going to sell. It’s going to sell well this year, but it’s going to sell like fucking hotcakes next year. Multi-touch, tablet-form-factor devices are the future of personal computing. I’m convinced of it. It’s not perfect, but it’s a darn good device for the price point, and it’s the start of something big.

This is just so true I could not write it better.

Second one is from Brent Spore

7. I WANT ONE!!

I won’t include his explanation to point seven since I’m sure that I’ll buy one.

Somehow they managed to provide a great upgrade experience. If you had trouble upgrading from NT4 to 2000, from 2000 to XP and from XP to Vista give it another try. I’ve seen many obscure things happening after upgrading, not this time. Well at least not until yesterday.

He called me and explained that his keyboard stopped working. It works if he enters BIOS but not after Windows is running. Rebooting didn’t solve the problem. Waiting one day and booting the system did. I guessed it could be a hardware problem. Maybe a cold solder joint.

I visited him on my way to a appointment and he told me he found a “solution”.

I just unplug my Ethernet cable and plug it in and everything works.

I cannot describe how much WTF my face was after he showed me that it really works.

I think I’ll do some research this weekend. Just to obscure to ignore the problem.

Source: AppleInsider

It looks like they are using OSX and not iPhone OS. And this is exactly why I would not be sure if it isn’t a hoax.

On Macworld is an article that explaining what key features a tablet needs.

works like a mac

I don’t believe it. I’ve never seen a desktop OS that is easy to use as tablet system without heavy modifications.

Modifying a system that works great or using a system that is already running with touch only input and adding some features. What do you thing is the easier job?

A full features OSX would have some advantages – let’s hope I am wrong and they didn’t take the easy path.

The source said Apple will introduce “a few new ways” to run applications in the background,

We remember: multi tasking on a phone is bad. I don’t believe we’ll see 19 applications running in background draining your phones battery in 4 minutes.

But let’s look at another news from AppleInsider. Skip the blabla about games and iTunes.

It is also expected that the tablet will be able to run existing iPhone software once it is modified to run in a range of screen resolutions.

Let’s pretend they just run iPhone OS – could explain the change. No matter how stupid background applications are on a phone on a tablet they could be useful.

Seven days to go,… did I mention that I hate waiting,…

I got a company contract and have some advantages like a competent hotline. It was no problem to get a data flatrate starting last month so I don’t have to pay 390€ extra.

Now that I have a flatrate again I’ll have to check if I can get tethering working with my 3.1 software version without jail breaking my device. Let’s not start the endless discussion why I won’t jail break my iPhone.

But what I am really looking forward to is something completely different. Since I had some time while the nice hotline dude was calculating my new monthly fee I asked when I can get the new iPhone. Short answer: “when we have it in stock – but it will cost you a bit. 1€!”. Now let us ignore the fact that I think it is too expensive. 1€. How dare…

Looking back at the year I have to admit that I don’t think it is special.

Michael Jackson is dead. While he was alive many people had nothing good to say about him – “He’s strange”, “pedo”, “how can you like him…” – now that he’s dead everyone loves our King of Pop. Beside the fact that you can perfectly see how changing some people are you could also see how greedy people can be. If I think about his funeral and how his father and his family tried to squeeze every last cent out if it I could vomit.

Looking back at the decade is even worse.

Okay we owned football world cup even if we did not win. But we had a great atmosphere in Germany. No one was crying about meaningless stuff (we are perfect in this discipline!), everyone was happy it was just a big 2 month party. Two weeks after this event everything was back to normal. Sad people, living their sad life in a sad country in a sad world. Looks like some people can only be happy when 11 people play football and win. Strange world…

Back to a more technical point of view. I am really not good to remember when something happened in past. That’s why I only talked about two events so far.

What did we see in 10 years?

DVDs becoming a standard and a few years later old stuff. Now we got Blu-Ray. Two new mediums in 10 years. Let’s see how this will go on.

Apple became successful. Not just for graphic designers and in America but all over the world. New systems using Intel CPUs, new iPod lines and who could I not mention iPhones.

Linux is still only used by IT-guys on desktops and some people that got a Netbook with Linux pre-installed,…

OpenSolaris entered the scene and ZFS was one of the few new things that really caught attention.

LCD displays and TVs are now found in every household and “older” people – let’s say pre 1980 – use new technology like email, internet and even IM… only to name some of those “cool new things” they thought that would be useless.

And I believe that we are still at the beginning

Do you remember those IT related movies about Hackers? Hackers, StartUP, Password Swordfish,.. only to name three big ones. Do you remember the stunning user interfaces and gadgets Tom Cruise had in Minority Report?

All devices ware able to communicate with each other. You just plug a stick or disk in your system point at the movie and it starts playing.

It was something that was not possible or at least realistic for private consumers.

Time changed. I believe that we’ll see a lot more beautiful designed, easy to use computer systems that are capable of all this cool stuff we’ve seen in movies for years.

iPhones showed that touch interaction is bigger than most companies believed. Apple will go down the road and deliver a TablePC. The next step is done. Waiting for a iMac with touch input,… (time to spread some rumors )

I wish you all a great party – let’s see what the next year and next decade will bring.

10 inch is okay for me – exactly in my specifications what I’d love to see.

Now it is time to wait… and wait… and wait… and spread some rumors till it is available. I hope that they don’t have a start as bad as the one with those 27″ iMacs. (if I’d knew that my screen would not be broken and it would work correctly I’d already have one of those cute iMacs on my table…)