RE: FLASH: whatever happened to the promissed SDK

[Damian Morton]

Dear John,


-- The SWF 3 file format was publicly documented quite a while ago. This is

true, however, I dont think anyone will argue that SWF 3 file format

specification was sufficient. It was missing large chunks and was patently

misleading and/or incorrect in many places. I have seen no effort on the

part of MM to correct these failings.


-- Since the release of the Flash 4 player, there have been no publicly

available documents from MM regarding its SWF 4 file format. I cant imagine

there not being some internal document which describes this format, nor why

this document couldnt be released under the policy of making Flash an "open

industry format". I think some explanation is in order.


-- Actually, the announcement describes the player sources as being freely

released under a zero-cost licence. I assume from your post that this player

source will only be released to a few selected partners. That would be a

shame. There have been many projects that have crossed my desk that would

have benefited from being able to extend the Flash player with new abilties.

In addition, "By making the Flash Player source freely available..." MM will

be kept honest, in that their ability to release a partial and/or incorrect

SWF 4 spec document will be kept in check. Will the cluster of developers

creating products that enhance and extend Flash have access to the player

source? Will other toolmakers have access to this player source? Will MM

allow and support the emergence of a marketplace for Flash tools?


>From the press release: "Moving to a free licensing model for the Flash

Player source is significant for both Macromedia and the industry," said Rob

Burgess, chairman and CEO of Macromedia. "... By making the Flash Player

source freely available and working closely with our partners such as @Home,

Real Networks, and Apple, we will make it easy for everyone to view

high-impact Flash interfaces, animations and interactive programming."


-- Hmm, yes the printing thing was released as an SDK. No, its not what I

was seeking and talking about.


-- There was also mention of an SDK for reading and writing SWF files. I

assume that will be released with the SWF 4 format? "soon"


I understand that MM has its strategic objectives, and the release or

non-release of this information and SDKs is entirely a business decision. I

took the "open industry format" announcement to be some kind of recognition

that a vibrant community of people and companies contributing tools,

techniques and enhancements to the Flash format can only advance the

interests of MM and Flash in general. I hope I wasnt wrong about this.


> -----Original Message-----

>

From: ownerchinwag [dot] com [ownerchinwag [dot] com]On">mailto:ownerchinwag [dot] com]On Behalf Of John

> Dowdell

> Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2000 2:15 PM

>

To: flasherchinwag [dot] com

> Subject: Re: FLASH: whatever happened to the promissed SDK

>

>

> At 8:40 AM 2/24/0, Damian Morton wrote:

> > Whatever happened to the promissed

> mid-october/novemeber/december/january

> > release of the Flash SDK?

>

> The term "SDK" can be used to describe different things:

>

> --  The SWF 3 file format was publicly documented on the

> Macromedia website

> quite awhile ago.

>

> --  The additions in the SWF 4 file format aren't publicly documented yet,

> but I'm told they should be pushed live "soon"

>

> --  The Macromedia Flash Player software developers kit is a different

> thing entirely (think of the file format spec vs the player code

> spec), and

> the news announcement describes this as freely available only to strategic

> partners such as browser or device developers. (ie, the announcement does

> not say this will be publicly published... it says the Player SDK remain

> confidential.)

>

> --  The chapter of the Flash documentation on how to use the new printing

> abilities was also called "SDK".

>

>

> From reading your posts, I'm not certain what you're attempting to do, and

> which of these various things called "SDK" you might be seeking...?

>

>

> jd

>

>

>

>

>

> John Dowdell, Macromedia Tech Support, San Francisco CA US

> Search technotes: http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/

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>

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flasher is generously supported by...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     flashforward2000 and The Flash Film Festival

  "The World’s Premier Flash Solutions Conference and Expo"

 March 27-29, Nob Hill Masonic Center, San Francisco, California


-Register before Feb 25 and save $200!!-- www.flashforward2000.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To unsubscribe or change your list settings go to

http://www.chinwag.com/flasher or email

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