Why Flash? Used for site navigation, used for streaming video, and for educational applications and games.
Why should we care? So we don't become 2nd class citizens on the internets. Adobe's flash plugin is also just plain insufficient for using on GNU/Linux.
What can we do? Don't use flash on your web sites. Encourage sites to test against Gnash. Write code!
Milestones
Interface for stereo in 2004
2005 Gilmore asks to turn it into a plugin
Firefox NPAPI plugin Spring 2006
Konqueror kparts plugin Fall 2006
YouTube support Spring 2007
Since then
Became an FSF high-priority project. Attracted more developers, included in most GNU/Linux and *BSD distributions, created Open Media Now, continuing on reverse engineering the Adobe flash technology.
Runs on OLPC, Sharp Zaurus, Pepper Pad, Classmate PC, Nokia Tablet, Ubuntu NetBook, OpenMoko, Playstation 3 (at least in Rob's house).
Reverse engineering
Do it legally, don't sign the EULA, talk to the lawyers first. Use only publicly available documentation, obtain any proprietary software legal. Adobe recently announced that Gnash is a legal re-implementation.
Adobe removed the EULA requirement about not reverse engineering.
Gnash features
Standalane
Browser plugin
Streaming video
high quality output
Better security
Extensible
XML messaging
Codec support
Compatibility
SWF version 9 but primarily SWF v8, with better v9 support under heavy development.
Portable to all sorts of systems and OSes.
Performance
Looking for this to be a main advantage over Adobe. Xvideo, MIT Shared Memory extension, other non X11 hardware based video decoders.
Testing
DejaGnu, Buildbot, Swfmill, Swfc, SwfTools, Ming, Mtasc, Haxe. Build Farm uses a mix or real hardware and virtual images.
Current focus
Improved SWF v9 support
ActionScript 3 class library
RTMP protocols
Better performance for low end hardware
Cygnal
Rich media server with features roughly compatible with the Flash Media Server.
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a nonprofit with a worldwide mission to promote computer user freedom.
We defend the rights of all software users. (Read more)