Almost everything made with flash is optimized for desktop computers, and don't run well on less powerful devices.Originally Posted by Icarus
This include video.
Flash devs create things only for the latest PC and the latest of the latest flash version.
If you have a old computer, a old device, or are limited to Flash 9. You are f**ked. If you allow Flash in a iPad, you will have a shitty experience.
Also, like baboonanza say... It conflicts with the type of market Apple is tryiing to build.
Microsoft is enjoying absolute (not nearly absolute, but absolute) monopoly over computer gaming with its Direct X technology. If Apple want to challenge it, either it builds a new game console or tries to build new game technology in Mac OS X. The previous option has been proven failed with failure of PipPin, and if she does it again it does not compete just with Microsoft, but also with Sony and Nintendo. Besides, by investing into console game Apple may not have enough capital to keep its position in computer gaming, which is always ahead of console gaming in term of technological level (at least in term of computing power). Some extremely popular PC games, like Halo, Call of Duty and Starcraft 2, did receive their Mac ports. However, it seems Mac OS X is not a easy-to-develop-game-for computing platform. PC gaming has a too well built foundation through its long history. If Apple wants to catch up, she has to burn so much cash to do it. Of course, Microsoft has proved that this approach worked by forcing its way into game console market, but who knows if there can be another successful case?
The cautious approach by Apple, to earn some extra cash by bringing games to mobile devices which are built so many other functionalities, is such an admirable one. I tried some games on my elder brother's IPhone. Played a few minutes they were fun, but they were too casual for you to spend real money on. I dont doubt IPhone 4 or IPad have enough computing power to run serious mobile games like those on PSP, but I am not sure if they wont drain the battery too soon. IPhone, for most people, are also for business, unlike PSP which is purely for gaming. May take much longer to bring Mac to gaming, but afterall, it is not us IT users' benefit to have such a great IT innovator to be brought down by one risky adventure.
BTW, some rumors is around that Mr. Steve Jobs tried his best to keep Mac away from main stream gaming because of his unhappy working experience in Atari.
Last edited by squirrel; 25-08-2011 at 02:24 PM.
And, yet, Apple's competitors' tablets have Flash on them. Where there's a will...
Apple doesn't have enough capital to keep its position in computing, period. That's why it's focused on accessories and gadgets for the past few years.
Like you stated the major problem from Apple's perspective (assuming they even care) is DirectX. Since the Macs are running as x86-64 platforms these days (one of the best moves in a long time) and started using more common hardware, the reasons for Macs not running games as part of OS X relate to the operating system and DirectX. Things like OpenGL performance and such just aren't a priority for Apple, especially since you could just toss Windows onto the system anyway using Bootcamp. Unless OSX shared a common framework with Windows and supported it to the same kind of standard, OSX (and probably Macs at large) aren't going to become a major gaming platform.May take much longer to bring Mac to gaming, but afterall, it is not us IT users' benefit to have such a great IT innovator to be brought down by one risky adventure.
And because Apple love their little walled garden (look at the AppStore being introduced to the desktop environment!) unless they can corner the market, they're probably not going to be very interested in gaming beyond casual, quick games that people can shove onto the store for $2.99 or something.
PC games forum?
I can see Apple going down the tubes though if Steve doesn't mentor this new guy properly.
I like that term. It speaks the truth. Apple's created a niche (some would say an anti-competitive environment) by essentially making their devices incompatible with everything else and currying - or enforcing - customer loyalty, sorta like how Russia made a unique rail gauge so that invading armies couldn't use its infrastructure.
Whether that can survive open competition is something else entirely.
I hear Steve's son Cron will be his successor, due to his excellent ability to schedule design meetings.
Much worse, though, is that Rob Malda resigned from Slashdot. I can't believe how all the major news outlets aren't covering that instead..
Why is Malda resigning from Slashdot important?
Since years ago, Slashdot has become another news outlet, the editors don't understand technology, and you get news that can be a copy & paste of Yahoo News, or any other generic news site.
Isn't it possible for Apple to license DirectX from MS?
DirectX is a component of windows. It would need to have huge chunks of emulation to make it work on mac, and emulation make things go very very slow.
DirectX is not standard. The standard of graphics is OpenGL. Microsoft attacked the standard with DirectX and is very succesful, but the better strategy for everyone that is not microsoft is to bet on OpenGL + SDL.
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