FluidHTML seeks to bridge Web programming divide

Today's Web programmers face a big choice when it comes to fancier aspects of their sites: HTML or Flash? One start-up hopes it can bridge the gap with a technology called FluidHTML.

FluidHTML shows its technology to build Flash applications with HTML-style programming with this Pong demo.

(Credit: Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)

The start-up, FHTML, announced software Monday at the TechCrunch50 conference that's intended to give HTML-style programmers the ability to use Flash features.

FluidHTML's language is an extension of HTML, the company said. "We borrow a lot of the really good ideas from HTML, because why wouldn't we?" said Chief Executive Michael Collette at the conference.

The approach holds some promise--but it also poses some risks. It may be complicated trying to get HTML and Flash programmers to work together, but at least those are established disciplines. FluidHTML requires a language known by neither set of coders right now, and the technology is supported just by a start-up still seeking its own programming staff and $1 million to $2 million in venture funding.

HTML, the traditional language of the Web, got its start showing just text and images with basic layouts. The second, begun by Macromedia and now led by Adobe Systems, is better suited for animations and flashy graphics, video, and increasingly, applications as well.

But a different set of programming skills are required to build Flash-powered sites or applications, so it doesn't always coexist easily on the same Web site. Programming is getting even more complicated as Flash converges with HTML and its companion, JavaScript.

FluidHTML relies on a Flash software module that programmers can embed in their Web pages. It interprets the HTML-esque code to supply Flash features such as vector graphics, sound, and video.

"The markup language supports very powerful commands (tags) and can do remarkable things that take enormous development effort in Flash," the company said. "FluidHTML RIAs (rich Internet applications) can be developed by less expensive programmers and require fewer man-hours to build than Flash."

[peterwhite]

This sounds like a very strange idea, I know Flash and I know HTML so why wouldn't I continue to simply embed FLASH elements into my HTML pages?

[eagunner]

i agree. it's kind of a stupid assumption that any html/javascript developer worth his salt isn't going to be able to pick up a book or find an online tutorial for flash and pick it up in time to get decent enough skills to piece together an actionscript that does whatever job needs to be done.

[lando25]

Flash is for web designers. Web Developer know there is little to no substance behind it.

[chipotlecoyote]

As a web developer who doesn't actually use Flash, I have to somewhat reluctantly disagree with you. If you actually look at everything that Flash is capable of -- as distinct from "what Flash is typically used for" -- there's a lot of substance there. Things that are difficult and extremely kludgy in the "Ajax" Javascript/XHR paradigm are sometimes simpler with the ActionScript model. (XMLSocket, anyone?)

Having said that, FluidHTML kind of comes across to me as an answer in search of a question. Web designers are going to continue to just use Flash with Adobe's design tools; web developers are, as lando25 demonstrates, not terribly enthused about using Flash to start with. If FHTML moves fast enough it could get a cult following going before HTML5 gets its act together in a few years. But that kind of makes FHTML at best the web dev equivalent of Blu-Ray waiting to be killed by net-deliverable HD.

[eagunner]

Nonsense. It provides rich functionality that html had been long unable to produce. However, with ajax/dhtml, and a solid dom, you lose a lot of the need for flash, and now with the introduction of canvas and sound elements in html5, flash is on the road to becoming extremely marginalized.

[mjconver]

Most sites that use Flash are at best annoying, and typically just suck. Thank goodness for Firefox and Flashblock!

[Perry_Clease]

Flash, if used at all, should be like an herb or spice in food, just enough to enhance the taste of HTML and CSS.

[Hunnter2k3]

While i hate Flash with a passion, this is actually something fairly decent, if i read it correctly.

[eagunner]

it's nothing that html5 doesn't offer.

[t8]

Flash sites suffer from poor Google placements due to Googlebot not being able to analyse them as well as HTML. FluidHTML could be the answer to this problem.

[eagunner]

No, because the google bot is still going to be seeing a hard-to-parse swf file. It's the swf file that sees the html-like xml.

[eagunner]

Phew! Just in time to be marginalized by HTML5!

[adityaprakash]

Few years back, I was working with a guy who was brilliant at flash and after seeing him work on Flash, I felt nervous. I thought I could never compete with this guy in creating a RIA (Rich Internet Application). I bought myself a flash bible, only to never use it as I read about the problems of flash.


So What are problems with flash?

It is far too difficult for a not so artistic guy like me to work on Flash.
I realised Flash based web applications are not crawled by search engines and my site would not exactly be an adobe or google, backed for direct traffic for it.
So What did I do?

I chucked the idea of learning flash.
I had to live with CSS and JavaScript to create all the magic. Although they were never comparable to the flash applications.
I had to wait for HTML 5 to be cooler and IE to render it correctly.!! A distant dream I must say.
So What is the solution?

Actually I didnot have one at that point in time but having seen FluidHTML?s presentation at TechCrunch50, I guess times are changing. FluidHTML claims and seems to have come up with a markup for Flash.

Read more at www.microreviews.org

[javabase]

Sites like http://www.effectgenerator.com/ have been doing this for a long time already with their own mark-up language FXML.