It wasn’t all that long ago where Adobe Flash was viewed as one of the pillars of the internet and was considered to be there for the foreseeable future. Many sites used it as their core client technology and internet giants, of the day, such as Google, Yahoo, AOL, and the TV networks used it heavily.
But as technology changes at the rapid pace that it does, Flash quickly became less and less relevant as Javascript(JS) became more prevalent. Largely since JS was free and Flash was proprietary. Even Apple, who has had a long lasting relationship with Adobe, avoid Flash and refuse to use it within the iPhone/iPad platforms. Which brings me to the topic of this conversation, the fact that Flash should be completely phased out and replaced with something more relevant to today’s market.
Yes, Flash has already been led to the status of largely irrelevant already, but it is still used in some circles, especially with animators. Javascript, CSS, and HTML now rule the landscape when it comes to a programming tool to be used. Besides being irrelevant, there are much more reasons why Flash needs to leave completely. As mentioned before, it is a closed proprietary system on the web where open standards are sought after and used by all major web avenues.
Another big detractor away from Flash is the effect that Flash has on the battery life of the device you are using it on. Many studies over the years have put the number around 33% shorter life span for your battery when Flash is installed on your device. Also, Flash has been targeted by hackers quite often, which leaves people who are using Flash open to possible attack. This puts users at risk constantly in a market where user safety should be a goal for all web based companies.
Steve Jobs probably summed up the problems with Flash back in 2010 when he left it off of the original iPhone and gave the reason being as the openness, security, and the impact it has on the battery as the reasons it would never be anywhere near the iPhone. Despite the attacks of the critical vulnerability that continually happen to Flash, Adobe’s message is quite clear in the fact they address the problems in a timely manner and fix the software where it is vulnerable.
However, with the magnitude of security lapses that have happened to Flash throughout the years, it is becoming more and more obvious that whatever Adobe is doing to try and rectify their security problems, it is just not enough. As witnessed a number of never-ending zero-day vulnerabilities that happen with Flash. Zero-day vulnerabilities being a weakness within the code that hackers learn of, and exploit before the company ever realizes it.
In conclusion, we can see that Flash is nowhere near the height they once were at when it comes to their place in the technology world of today. With all the draw backs that have plagued Flash over the years, it has become near irrelevant and not widely used. With the risks involved with Flash, especially the security risks, it is safe to say that Flash should be removed and pushed into a long overdue retirement. I believe Adobe owes it to its customers to put an end to this once prominent piece of software.
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