

Ask HN: Apple vs Java, Flash and optical drives? - olalonde

What's going on with Apple today? Seems like they're ditching (in some ways) Java[1], Flash[2] and optical drives[3]. Is it all part of a greater master plan or just a mere coincidence. I'd like to hear your thoughts.<p>[1] http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#releasenotes/Java/JavaSnowLeopardUpdate3LeopardUpdate8RN/NewandNoteworthy/NewandNoteworthy.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40010380-CH4-SW1<p>[2] http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/20/macbook-air-all-substance-no-flash/<p>[3] http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2010/10/today-apple-announced-the-death-of-the-optical-drive-in-its-laptops/
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brk
Optical drives have outlived their usefulness, IMO. You can get more data, in
a smaller space, on a USB drive. Granted, the price of an optical disk vs. a
USB disk is not at parity yet, but I also remember switching from 3.5"
floppies to CD's, even when a CD cost 5x a floppy.

Optical drives have also always been kind of a bitch to write files to (the
process was always cumbersome and long for the amount of data you were
writing), so they never really seemed to catch on as a file exchange medium.
Plus, there are compatibility issues that crop up every so often.

Bottom line, I'm surprised it took this long for CD's to start getting
replaced by USB drives.

Flash on OSX has sucked for a very long time. Not sure where the blame lies,
but it seems to me that Adobe hasn't put a lot of effort into Just Fixing It.
Now, we start to see alternative (and, IMO, better) video delivery methods on
the intarwebs. Everybody browses the web a little differently, but I think
that for the prototypical cutting-edge Apple user, Flash brings minimal value
to the average web experience.

Java, I have little opinion on. I thought though that Apples changes to Java
just related to the custom JVM Apple has used, and not an overall killing off
of Java on OSX.

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retroafroman
Those technologies could be seen as hurting Apple's ability deliver paid
content via iTunes (streaming video with Flash, physical CDs instead of
digital downloads). With that view, it makes business sense to try and herd
customers toward paying for all their media content at one central location.

~~~
olalonde
Basically:

iTunes vs Optical drives

iOS vs Java

Safari vs Flash

~~~
retroafroman
Hadn't thought about the iOS vs Java possibility, but it makes sense, in a
way.

------
terrywilcox
Optical drives are the modern floppy drive; too small to remain relevant. The
iMac was the first PC to dump the floppy. USB flash drives and a good Internet
connection are the future.

Flash and Java are really third-party products. It looks like Apple's handing
the responsibility for them back to Adobe and Oracle.

Flash on OS X has been a slow, buggy disappointment. If Adobe is serious about
Flash on OS X, it needs to do more.

Similarly, the Mac has a big enough market share that Oracle can do the work
to port its Java to the Mac. Apple shouldn't have to shoulder that burden
anymore.

Apple's plan would appear to be "move forward, don't get stuck in the past".

