The Glory Days of Flash

Most people remember flash as an annoying plugin that caused security issues and which has all but vanished, with HTML5 filling in the gaps left over.

Before it was an annoyance, though, it was essential.

Without Flash, the web of the late 90s and early 2000s would have been a pretty dull place. It enabled video, animation and games to be a reality online. The tools that were developed to create flash were something to behold, allowing anyone to produce interactive animation. As a web developer, it opened up possibilities and allowed freedom of expression in a time when web technologies were in their infancy.

Personally, the technology brings back memories of a time when the Internet was exciting and accessible for developers. Tools today are nowhere near as easy to use as the tools that allows Flash production. However, we do have more responsive and advanced web technologies.

The main thing that killed Flash was not just HTML5, but mobile. When Apple decided not to support Flash in the iPhone, the grim reaper made his move for this technology.

It will always be fondly remembered as the technology that enabled the early web to be exciting, whether it through video or the tens of thousands of games that were created for the platform.

Check out this article at Wired for a well written look back at this technology, which could bring back some fond memories!