Why FLASH is the CPU Killer? Why HTML 5?

Don’t get me wrong, is not because i’m Apple fans/Steve Jobs‘ follower so i posted this article, I’m Flash bigger fans and I have been using Flash Tools with Action Script to create lots of Flash interactive movie, web site for so many years (Since 1999), and sometime, i wish they (Macromedia, adopted by Adobe now) can optimize the Flash Player to reduce the CPU/RAM usage or Flash Player should became part of the Web Browser Standard, which is totally built-in without have to install the plugin.

But after so many years, I don’t see much improvement, except the Flash tools better features.

Why?

Why FLASH is the CPU Killer? It took more CPU usage (Also RAM usage) when you visiting any Flash enabled website. Example :

http://msg.cordonmedia.com/msg.php

Below are the test result from Mac OSX 10.6, Tested from the Chrome, FireFox, and Safari with Flash Player Plugin (* Please note Flash Player Plugin in FireFox are running on it Browser itself, instead of separate tasks, that’s why the FireFox CPU usage are higher):

As you can see, visiting a Flash enabled website are killing more CPU usage, that’s why some old PC/Mac find visiting Flash website are slower than normal pure HTML/CSS website.

HTML 5

To be honest, I’m looking for alternative to replace Flash if possible, And HTML 5 is the best option. If you using Flash just because it can easily create stunning animation effect, HTML 5 can do the same thing without a plugin, and that is very good reason to switch:

http://www.apple.com/html5/showcase/transitions/

HTML 5 Transition Showcase

It is going to be a revolution, soon.

This post are from a guy who using Flash Tools for 9 years in website design industry.

Hen

Co founder of Hen Design Studio, more than 10 years experiences in website design & development. Apple fans but not Steve Jobs' worshiper.

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  • http://www.lilomag.com Daniel J

    Hi Hen, nice article about flash and HTML 5.

    I’ve visited the site demo for HTML 5, but the demo only works in Safari.. It’s best if they make it applicable in all web browser or at least let us download plugin for other browser like flash . haha

    • http://henstudio.com Hen

      Hi Daniel, HTML5 will be web standard and available for all next version of the webkit web browser like FireFox, Chrome etc. (Not sure about IE) It is not plugin. It’s like CSS3

      Soon you will see many HTML5 website, included Youtube are developing HTML5 youtube video player now.

      • http://www.lilomag.com Daniel J

        Thanks for the Info bro! really nice information!

  • nottyboy

    i hate flash site too, always hv to wait for the flash to finish loading then only can view the site… always slower to view a flash site than a html site…

    • http://henstudio.com Hen

      Hi nottyboy, actually, those loading problem is depend on designer who created it. Flash loading can be optimise, depend how they do it. Many Full Flash Site didn’t optimise their loading properly. And load everything in once, that’s cause problem.

  • Ngu Soon Hui

    I hate flash because it is proprietary and buggy.