css: the end of flash?

[kuwisdelu]

http://www.macrumors.com/2009/02/06/css-animation-coming-to-safari-already-in-iphone-less-dependence-on-flash/

CSS Animations is one of the enhancements to CSS proposed by the WebKit project that we’ve been calling CSS Effects (eg. gradients, masks, transitions). The goal is to provide properties that allow Web developers to create graphically rich content. In many cases animations are presentational, and therefore belong in the styling system. This allows developers to write declarative rules for animations, replacing lots of hard-to-maintain animation code in JavaScript.

(unless you have an iphone/ipod touch or a recent build of Webkit, the links will be pretty boring.)

[Adam Israel]

I really doubt CSS Animations will hurt Flash in any measurable way. Flash is too strongly entrenched at this point.

What it does have the potential to do is create lighter web pages, which will be critical for the mobile market.

[kuwisdelu]

I, for one, hope it will replace it for the websites that only rely on Flash for a small portion of their content, or for which it can be used more easily than Flash.

The ones that rely heavily on Flash or are completely Flash-based are beyond help.

(Can you tell I don't like Flash? ;))

[Adam Israel]

I don't care for it much myself. A little bit is fine, or for specific purposes not otherwise accomplished easily. I rank all-flash websites up there with using images to display textual content.

I'm continually having to tell web designers who complain about their search engine rank why their 100% flash-based design may look pretty but sucks for SEO. Ugh.

[Matera the Mad]

Oh god forbid that the fools with the shiny expensive bloatware should ever learn to make real sites with real content that doesn't take a year to load. No, as long as there is money to be made, garbage will be sold.

Can you tell I don't like Flash? :D

[mario_c]

Well, as a Flash dev nerd I'm feeling a little picked on here. :D But I do program other languages like css, and doing little things like fades, moving logos and mood lighting with just a little css would be friggin' HOT (and not having to write pages of Javascript, only to see it get eaten by the wrong browser).
Full on interactive character animation? Moving parts to an interface? Cool cheap Games?! Flash will still rule for a long time. I still love writing actionscript and making interactive motion with that platform although a. I suck at it, and b. It's becoming impractical for tiny screens and competitive browsers. Well, just a little reminisce about the good ol' days before moving on...

ETA The samples don't work in Firefox/Mac. 3 browsers to try out on PC when I start it up...

[Tirjasdyn]

hrm...interesting....but as with all things, first the browsers have work like their supposed to and certain browsers are still having trouble with css1.

[veinglory]

I am very flash-averse, and so very happy to hear about this development. Especially as flash doesn;t get on well with iPhones--I hope CSS animation will.

[maestrowork]

I don't think CSS animation could completely replace Flash, especially with a small footprint. But cutting the use of JavaScript would be a welcome change.

[adtabb]

I keep flash turned off on my browser. The pages look so much nicer. Very few sites I visit use it for anything though. There are a few I can't view at all. I simply don't need the headaches associated with bouncing animation when a still picture would convey the same message much simpler.