Mobile Technologies
I thought today I would discuss mobile technologies like Java and Flash that extend with your web browser can do, why we use them and why they are going a way.
HISTORY
When the internet browser was created, it hosted very “flat” wepbages. Pages that could support text, pictures and links. In order to extend HTML (the web language), companies created mobile technologies like:
Java (Sun, now Oracle)
Flash (Adobe)
ActiveX (Microsoft)
All of these were made with the intent of allowing the web browser to do more than it was originally intended to do. Things such as videos, interactive games, and the like. They accomplish this by allowing things to run that normally would not run. This has turned into a gigantic security hole that is now responsible for most of the malware attacks on computers. Because of this, all 3 technologies are dying a rather quick death.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU
-All mobile platforms including iOS, Android, Chrome and Blackberry no longer support these platforms (except for limited Flash support baked into the Chrome Browser itself)
-Operating systems like Windows, Mac and Linux are deprecating support of these technologies. this means they will still work now, but soon they will not. All of these technologies are being replaced by HTML5 which can perform all of these functions with more security.
BOTTOM LINES TO US
If you see something that says it requires Java or Flash, expect it absolutely will not work on your iOS, ChromeBook or Android devices. Also, expect no more than a 75% chance of working on an actual full blown computer. Web technology is in a transition stage right now. This is the most painful time time, but as mobile devices reign more supreme by the day, it will pass quickly.
I hope you found this helpful and not too terribly boring (I may have channeled my “inner Sheldon Cooper” a little hard today) smile emoticon