When will HTML5 be supported on all browsers without Flash

[David Evan K]

When will HTML5 be supported on all browsers without Flash.  Flash is a support nightmare.  No matter how much Adobe wants to rescue it, it's antiquated proprietary functionality that poses both security and support issues.

[RodWard]

"When will HTML5 be supported on all browsers without Flash?"

This is a really weird question.  Why ask it here?

For starters...HTML5 support on all browsers is not something Adobe is responsible for, so why ask that question on this forum?  Instead, if you want anyone with a stake in the issue to answer it, ask the browser manufacturers (e.g. Microsoft, Google, Mozilla, Apple) when they will be supporting all features of HTML5.  The ball's in their court right now.

Secondly, for e-learning developers HTML5 is currently a bigger support nightmare than Flash ever was.  At least with Flash we had a runtime (Flash Player) that all major desktop browsers supported. You could create a course in Flash or Captivate, and as long as the end-user's browser had a current version of Flash Player, you could be reasonably certain it would run, and run smoothly.  HTML5 output from most current generation authoring tools runs like a dog with three legs.  And e-learning developers forced to build HTML5 or mobiles are encountering a minefield of wildly differing screen sizes and inconsistent implementations reminiscent of the worst years of the 90's "browser wars".  HTML5 is no picnic.  Give me Flash any day.

Thirdly, Adobe already knows they cannot "rescue" Flash.  Why do you think they've already started rolling out HTML5-centric apps such as the Edge Toolset.

Fourthly, the rumours of the death of Flash have been wildly exaggerated.  Flash is very much alive and well and happily living inside many of the games and apps that people are currently playing with on their mobile devices.

[Lilybiri]

+10000000   Rod!

[David Evan K]

Sorry, I don't have a choice. We already have a successful HTML5 Video app

that is cross browser since all latest browsers are HTML5 capable. We just

wanted Captivate interactive features to add to it. We are just having odd

issues with Firefox disclaimers and some issue Adobe is having with the

latest version of Chrome, of all things.

[RodWard]

"since all latest browsers are HTML5 capable"  This is a somewhat inaccurate statement.  It's not that simple.  More correct to say would be: "Most latest browsers support most HTML5 features but none of them support HTML5 completely."

HTML5 browser readiness is rated on a score up to 500 + 15 possible bonus points.

If you want to see the current readiness state of any browser on your PC just go to http://html5test.com/results/desktop.html

If you want to see what it looks like for mobile devices go here: http://html5test.com/results/mobile.html

Notice that NO browser achieves full compliance with HTML5 and in fact some have still quite a way to go.

So, Yes you will have "odd issues" with one or more browsers...as well as with Adobe Captivate's HTML5 output...because as I stated before, HTML5 is currently a nightmarish thing to try and support.  If none of the browser manufacturers fully support it, Adobe is NOT the ONLY problem here.

[AnitaHorsley]

Thanks Rod

[Kurrykid-jzpfVq]

Good information Rod...thanks for posting.

[RoboWizard]

In addition to Rod's most excellent replies here, I  can't help but to notice a glaring difference.

What was said was: We already have a successful HTML5 Video appthat is cross browser...

Then what was said was: We just wanted Captivate interactive features to add to it.

So you were successfully focusing on a single feature. Video playback. Then you wanted to add all sorts of "interactive" features. And that bit right there is the crux of the matter. Each feature that is used may add a dimension of its own with certain browsers supporting the feature, others partially supporting it and even others simply ignoring it.

Cheers... Rick

[David Evan K]

Yes, this is where we are.  What works and doesn't work with interactive videos and quizzes in the simplest way for deployment to support IE 9 and above, Safari on IOS and Mac, Chrome PC/Mac/IOS, Firefox PC/Mac.  Native Android browser on tablets.  The other browsers we don't officially support, and would only be supported if our users want to use them in sufficient numbers.  Most in our user community are doctors using Macs and IPADS.

[David Evan K]

Thanks.

Historically Flash, for me anyway, has been less of a picnic than modern HTML5 and JavaScript.  Specifically I've had several issues with Flash not working on allegedly supported as well as unsupported environments.   These issues include 1) Security changes breaking existing playback and requiring new Flash deployments on the server.  2) Security issues resulting in Flash being banned entirely from IOS and at the system administrators discretion on many corporate and educational networks, and 3) Flash Deployment issues on desktops with messed up browser plug-ins or botched local installations that require additional support from my staff.

Actually, with HTML5 for simple Video playback we've had none of these issues on all the major browsers (IE 9 and above, FireFox, Chrome and Safari on Mac, OS Safari and IOS Chrome, and Android tablet browsers.  We use a simple Modernzr (JavaScript library) test to ensure the HTML5 Video tag is supported, and one other test that disables use of Smithsonian worthy old browsers, such as IE versons 8 and below.

My I feel my resistence to Flash isn't imaginary, or born out of religiousity.  Conversely I wish that Flash did not have the above issues.  But for now I am responsible the app working with minimal need for support on the sub-set of HTML5 browsers above. 

I am thus hopeful that the HTML5 only versions of Captivate output work on all the browsers above, as at this point they should.

-David