Adobe have killed AIR on Linux

[Primefalcon]

http://blogs.adobe.com/open/2011/06/focusing-on-the-next-linux-client.html

Once you get past the BS title, you can take the key parts as here:

with Desktop Linux, we see a basically flat growth curve hovering around 1%. And since the release of AIR, we’ve seen only a 0.5% download share for desktop Linux.

And here

As such, we will be focusing on supporting partner implementations and will no longer be releasing our own versions of Adobe AIR and the AIR SDK for desktop Linux.

I wonder if flash and such will soon follow.... I would say start finding alternatives for any adobe stuff on Linux such as gnash instead of flash... We need the alternatives to be solid!

[Zero2Nine]

http://blogs.adobe.com/open/2011/06/focusing-on-the-next-linux-client.html

Once you get past the BS title, you can take the key parts as here:


And here


I wonder if flash and such will soon follow.... I would say start finding alternatives for any adobe stuff on Linux such as gnash instead of flash... We need the alternatives to be solid!

YouTube for example already supports HTML5 (webm) for the adfree videos. Watching video on the net is the only reason I still have flash installed.

[Primefalcon]

YouTube for example already supports HTML5 (webm) for the adfree videos. Watching video on the net is the only reason I still have flash installed.
Yeah, same

[hakermania]

How will I play dofus on linux now :((( ?

[lovinglinux]

I wonder if flash and such will soon follow.... I would say start finding alternatives for any adobe stuff on Linux such as gnash instead of flash... We need the alternatives to be solid!

That was my first thought, considering they haven't updated flash 64bit square preview since November.

Not looking good. However, not everyone uses Adobe Air, while is practically impossible to not use flash these days.


YouTube for example already supports HTML5 (webm) for the adfree videos.

For YouTube and a few other sites, you can use my FlashVideoReplacer (http://www.webgapps.org/add-ons/flashvideoreplacer) extension, that allows to watch the videos with a different plugin, like gecko-mediaplayer, which has much better performance than flash or webm.Don't even need flash to be installed to work.


YouTube for example already supports HTML5 (webm) for the adfree videos. Watching video on the net is the only reason I still have flash installed.

For me too. I subscribe to 3 different movie streaming services and they all use flash. Unfortunately, it seems flash is the only alternative for those services if they want to be cross-platform.

[FlameReaper]

http://ubuntu-tweak.com/source/dajhorn-adobeair/

[Primefalcon]

I just wish youtube html5 support was better, for the video's that do have it, its like stop motion on my system

[prodigy_]

with Desktop Linux, we see a basically flat growth curve hovering around 1%. And since the release of AIR, we’ve seen only a 0.5% download share for desktop Linux.
That's the sad truth. Linux isn't ready to compete for desktop market. (The key word here is to compete.) I mean it's like nowhere near being ready.

In fact, what is Linux besides the kernel? There are several major distros and they all handle things differently. They use different default DEs, different init alternatives, network configuration tools, package managers... different everything. Linux has no common image and no conventions about anything that isn't defined in its kernel.

Optimistically it'll take another decade for Linux to become competitive if distro maintainers will set their petty disagreements aside and will start working together towards common goals. We all know it won't happen and Adobe knows this too.

[BigSilly]

Well this is demoralising, but then I would imagine that uptake of Adobe Air on any platform won't be stellar. Like you guys I hope it doesn't mean they'll begin to move Flash away from Linux, since so many of us depend on it for one thing or another. But then I have to add - I hate Flash, and I wish the broad internet media experience would just move to something better. It doesn't matter what I run it on, Linux, Windows, dual-core, decent GPU etc, it will cause problems. It's about time there was a better option.

But if we're stuck with it, how's Gnash coming along...?

[handy]

...

In fact, what is Linux besides the kernel? There are several major distros and they all handle things differently. They use different default DEs, different init alternatives, network configuration tools, package managers... different everything. Linux has no common image and no conventions about anything that isn't defined in its kernel.
...

GNU/Linux will always be this way. It is its strength & its weakness. Open-source is what it is; ultimately we must always pander to the coders'.

Which is why we have so many choices when it comes to distros, DEs, WMs & all of the software that we can run on them. Let alone all of the other options that are available to us if we are inclined to configure.

[scouser73]

Does anyone actually use Adobe Air?

[Copper Bezel]

What's Adobe Air?

No, but seriously, Air will die as every major OS continues to blur the lines between desktop apps and webapps, and Flash support under Linux will live exactly as long as Google wants it to, with zero input from Adobe, which I'm more or less comfortable with.

[speedwell68]

Does anyone actually use Adobe Air?

I did for a while for Tweetdeck and the BBC iPlayer app. I have replaced both of them with Twittergadget for iGoogle and get-iplayer/GiPlayer. Frankly it was bloaty, buggy and a right PITA, I wouldn't shed a single tear if it disappeared. Personally I would say that Flash's days are numbered anyway.

[Tibuda]

I can't see a scenario for them to stop developing Flash for Linux. Flash is used by most Linux users, while Air is not. Developing for a niche inside another niche is not much viable, unless you have a large margin, which is not the case of free-as-beer software.

[speedwell68]

Flash is used by most Linux users

http://i43.tinypic.com/v7f70m.jpg

;):D

[prodigy_]

Personally I would say that Flash's days are numbered anyway.
Today's flash is a bit more than just FLV (http://www.papervision3d.org/). ;)

[Primefalcon]

I can't see a scenario for them to stop developing Flash for Linux.They said that its a platform not showing any growth, another words in their eyes it's a dead end platform....

That's more than enough reason for a company

[neu5eeCh]

Never heard of Adobe Air until today.

Couldn't care less. However, if I understand it correctly, the platform allows one to run web apps without a browser? If this is true, then it's a perfect example of why I'm not buying into the whole cloud computing scheme. Hopefully that's not a non-sequitor.

[Copper Bezel]

No, that's about right. You install webbapps using Air as a platform, the idea being that it's easier to get something written and distributed as a webapp than as a native application, but they run client-side (and are painfully slow and memory intensive.) Of course, this kind of platform is built in in Windows 8 and GTK3.


They said that its a platform not showing any growth, another words in their eyes it's a dead end platform....

That's more than enough reason for a company

Yes, but 100% of Chrome OS users depend on Linux Flash support.

[Spr0k3t]

I believe the primary reason for Adobe to cut AIR development for Linux was monetary. There are already several implementations of products implemented specifically for AIR which are better without the use of AIR. This isn't just on Linux either... the entire logic behind AIR was not accepted as greatly as Adobe wanted. So much so, that you can't download Adobe Reader without getting AIR installed right along side. The forcing of installing AIR is the dying department inside Adobe to show acceptance of a failing project. I have no doubts that Mac will also be on the chopping block soon.

[lulled]

AIR who? ;)

[tgalati4]

Everyone should at least install Air on their linux boxen and download a few Air web apps to find out what a bloated, slow, and insane framework this really is. I'm not sad to see it go. If it comes with Windows 8, then great, you really will need a quad-core machine to browse the web.

Adobe Air is a polished (shiny) turd. I mean no offense to Polish people.

[Copper Bezel]

No, Windows 8 won't need it, because it has a sane (Java / CSS) webapp framework built in. The whole idea of Air was to allow web developers to develop native apps. Thanks to Windows 8 and GTK3, that doesn't require an external framework anymore, just like Flash was a placeholder for HTML5 video and apps. The only problem if both of them died on Linux tomorrow would be legacy services still using Adobe's technologies (which are almost nonexistent with the total flop that was Air but ubiquitous with Flash.)

I'm not aware of any polish with Air. The results are every bit as ugly and inconsistent as they are unnecessary. The only Air app I ever tried was a Facebook app, but it was disappointing enough to not bother trying any others.

[FlameReaper]

I'm not entirely pleased with the way AIR apps handle themselves in a Linux environment. For one, I can't switch my input method while in a Twitter client powered by AIR. So if there is an instance I need to tweet in Japanese, I can't do it.

Also, the way AIR executables name themselves is a PITA, having to navigate to the /opt/<Program Name>/bin/<Program Name> manually.

[Macskeeball]

Whatever. I'm not exactly gasping for AIR.

[Primefalcon]

Whatever. I'm not exactly gasping for AIR.
AIR itself is neither her nor there, I am just finding the obvious attitude of the company towards Linux concerning especially since they do have flash, which like it or no is used a lot on the web still for videos!

And with this attitude forget about photoshop and dreamweaver and other said applications ever being imported, which is disheartening

[lovinglinux]

Also, the way AIR executables name themselves is a PITA, having to navigate to the /opt/<Program Name>/bin/<Program Name> manually.

To uninstall them is even worse.

[Superkoop]

Hmm, well I guess I saw this coming anyways... I used AIR while I still used windows a few years back... but then I moved to Linux and I just didn't see the reason to continue using it. However, I don't really want it to go away... but I'm just weird.

[timZZ]

I can see why this is a big deal but Flash is being faded out anyways. Competition for a replacement has been increasing yearly and this could be related to cutting back resources because of this. I personally have a 64-bit machine and have been irritated by the support for flash since the beginning.

Just learnt to live without it.

[Roasted]

That's the sad truth. Linux isn't ready to compete for desktop market. (The key word here is to compete.) I mean it's like nowhere near being ready.


I would like to politely disagree, for the simple fact it has been easier to maintain Ubuntu in our educational environment than it has been to maintain Windows in our educational environment.

Linux itself is ready. But what people need to do to make the switch is to find alternative programs, such as Gimp to Photoshop, etc. A lot of people really don't care what OS they use - but it's the application set that keeps them where they are.

Not to mention, Linux isn't exactly advertised. Tell somebody with an Android phone it's Linux based. Guaranteed 98% of the time you'll get a "What's Linux?" response. Considering Linux has little/no advertising, whereas Windows and Apple have billions of dollars invested into advertising, it's no wonder the numbers are the way they are.

In fact, considering Linux is considered one of the most stable server setups you can have is really quite flattering knowing how little widespread attention it has in the advertising world.

On topic: It's good to see discussion here based on this. I personally had no idea what Adobe Air was, despite me having seen it available for install on previous occasions. It's good to know I wasn't missing out on anything.

I do have to wonder how long these Adobe plugins can last. I mean, really. Web browsers are so powerful now that in time I would bet any amount of money that everything will be integrated that we need, without the use of Flash, Shockwave, Air, or any other product along those lines. In fact, I'm still surprised Flash is as heavily used as it is.

I was a little confused, though. Was the Linux based Adobe Air going to be open sourced? I saw a reference in regard to them "allowing" further support from 3rd party contributors to upkeep the project if need be. But clearly, it's pretty obvious that Adobe Air really is useless in this day and age.

That being said, if Linux Mac and Windows all have "Air" capabilities out of the box (or going to with soon-to-be releases, that is) I wonder why they're making a point to announce the Linux version getting axed? I do think it's kind of interesting how some people boast that Linux is a dying/non growing platform. I mean, the more reading that I do, the more I realize just how huge Linux is worldwide and how small Microsoft is in the grand scheme of things. There are entire countries running off of Linux as a whole, from their educational systems to their government systems, etc... So while Linux might be seen as small due to the magnitude of systems running Windows, the fact of the matter of Linux is not "small" since their use is easily scaled into the millions column and I really don't see how they can be seen as non growing. I know many users switching, and in fact I know many school districts and colleges making the switch within this 2011 year... with more to come (I'm sure) once others see how things pan out.



What's Adobe Air?

No, but seriously, Air will die as every major OS continues to blur the lines between desktop apps and webapps, and Flash support under Linux will live exactly as long as Google wants it to, with zero input from Adobe, which I'm more or less comfortable with.

I agree. I think Google being a bigtime user of Linux would either do what they could to keep flash alive or at the very least make it so Chromium/Chrome supports flash out of the box with some crazy in-house browser design. In fact, after hearing about Google's recent creation of a new picture extension (jpg, etc) I'm surprised they haven't conquered the flash thing just yet. But maybe that's because they're banking on HTML5 to take over.

[BrokenKingpin]

Don't care at all about Adobe Air. I also hate flash, but we will need it for some time to come :(

[Roasted]

Don't care at all about Adobe Air. I also hate flash, but we will need it for some time to come :(

I just hope Adobe doesn't drop flash support for Linux. At least until HTML5 is here and established as the new-found standard.

[Primefalcon]

So pretty much air has been killed and ?so has reader now?

[phrostbyte]

I actually hope Adobe kills Flash for Linux too. Hear me out: if that would ever happen it would encourage Linux developers to work towards making an FOSS clone of Flash more vigorously.

Even if you don't believe in the inherent social and technical advantages of doing development in the open, the fact is Adobe has NEVER been a beacon of quality proprietary software. Especially on Linux. It's always been the butt of every Linux desktop joke, even xkcd made fun of the situation.

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/supported_features.png

[lisati]

/me rushes to check that the Ubuntu-friendly software for a dongle I've got still works. It does, and Adobe prompted me to update Air, which was achieved successfully. Big sigh of relief, since I don't particularly want to have to boot Windows or visit the one and only local outlet that has the facilities, just to top up my bus card (http://snapper.co.nz). (Can't use it on the local buses yet, but some local taxis accept it. Got the thing when Mrs Lisati was in Wellington Hospital to help save with fares.)

[PhillyPhil]

In other news, medical scientists kill the flu virus.

[Roasted]

I actually hope Adobe kills Flash for Linux too. Hear me out: if that would ever happen it would encourage Linux developers to work towards making an FOSS clone of Flash more vigorously.


I suppose so. But in this day and age, does it really warrant making a new FOSS Flash alternative when HTML5 is on the horizon, albeit, 3 years away from being finalized? Unless you're referring to beefing up HTML5 support from the get-go as the alternative.

I guess it's one thing to see Adobe Air go. Let's be realistic, who's used it? Asking the same question about Flash would yield very different answers, since I would think maybe 49/50 people on Linux use Flash whereas 1/100 may have used Adobe Air at some point in their lives.

I guess I can SEE why they ditched Air. I just hope it doesn't progress further than that. Then again, even if they did ditch Flash support tomorrow, we still have the current Flash in today's state. That said, once HTML5 gets here and begins to get adopted, there might be the solution, even considering a worst case scenario like that.

[Dustin2128]

http://www.cyberiapc.com/gallery/uploads/Other/giving_a_damn.gif

[manzdagratiano]

Nobody cares about AIR... on GNU/Linux npobody cares about Acrobat which is bloated and slug-like... soon nobody shall care about Flash... Adobe shall be obsolete (heck if they hadn't absorbed macromedia, they would already have been obsolete).

I feel strongly for the Gnash team, who have managed to push so far as to make 100% of youtube videos work with Gnash, though Gnash does not work with most other sites. They are always broke, lacking any major sponsorship. I am but a lowly grad student at the moment, unable to make any significant financial contribution to help them push forward... But the time shall come...