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FluidHTML – Markup for Flash- What does it mean for HTML guys?

September 17, 2009 by admin | 12 Comments

Few years back, I was working with a guy who was brilliant at flash and after seeing him work on Flash, I felt nervous. I thought I could never compete with this guy in creating a RIA (Rich Internet Application). I bought myself a flash bible, only to never use it as I read about the problems of flash.

So What are problems with flash?

  • It is far too difficult for a not so artistic guy like me to work on Flash.
  • I realised Flash based web applications are not crawled by search engines and my site would not exactly be an adobe or google, backed for direct traffic for it.

So What did I do?

  • I chucked the idea of learning flash.
  • I had to live with CSS and JavaScript to create all the magic. Although they were never comparable to the flash applications.
  • I had to wait for HTML 5 to be cooler and IE to render it correctly.!!  A distant dream I must say.

So What is the solution?

Actually I didnot have one at that point in time but having seen FluidHTML’s presentation at TechCrunch50, I guess times are changing. FluidHTML claims and seems to have come up with a markup for  Flash.fhtml

What does markup for flash mean?

With an HTML like structuring, FluidHTML allows web developers to create dynamic and rich media sites with relative ease. And there are no compatibility issues with major browsers. Also since it is markup, crawlers can read it and the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) problem seems to get resolved.

So How does FluidHTML do it?

They use an interpreter FHTML.SWF,– which reads the FluidHtml markup served on browser pages, and then renders the layout, effects, behaviours and instructions in the markup. Sounds cool.

Are there any server side dependencies?

No, there are none. Java, DotNet, PHP, Ruby, Python – FluidHTML caters to them all.

What does it mean for the HTML guys?

Extend your knowledge and add some tags to the ones you know and build better web apps. A media player tag seems so very cool to me. Are we getting into the real WEB 2.0 or what? HTML guys need not unlearn stuff. Just that they learn more and create better.

Anything else that the HTML guys get?

A liquid layout engine with more flexibility than CSS. People need to figure this out.

Is it extendable?

Yes to a great extent. Core FluidHTML kernel cannot be extended by the developers, the effects and animations, buttons, sliders, style sheets, and layouts can be shared publicly (According to their website that is). Developers can extend FluidHTML to make their own modules. In development mode it is free with some marking done. When you go live, just buy an annual license. To read the intricacies of FluidHTML check out their about page.

Who does FluidHTML compete with?

Anybody’s guess. Microsoft and Adobe.

And Who comes out with it?

FHTML Inc. founded in March 2009. You can visit their website at fluidhtml.com. Follow them at Twitter. Email them at michael@fluidhtml.com.

Drop in to their headquarters at: 1050 Winter Street, Suite 1000, Waltham, MA, 02451, DNK.

CEO Michael Collete

Founder Jim Kremens

Do check their TechCrunch50 presentation here.

So Whats the verdict?

  • Works for me.
  • Flex, Silverlight and Flash, they all need to be compiled. Fhtml, like HTML, does not need to be compiled.
  • A boon for the flash people who will have their content searchable now (if they switch to Fhtml that is, and that means business for FHTML Inc).
  • FHTML inc is a stratup. How they are able to engage more developers is to be seen.They’re looking for $1 to $2 million in funding by October.
  • The competitors are big and probably evil. Maybe  they are too big, may even sue me!!!
  • Can Fhtml be light enough? Their own site wasnt really that light. Important factor that is. We even have a facebook lite now :)

Overall, best of luck from the microreviews team to the FHTML team. Well done guys.

No related posts.

  • Vikash

    I wanted to know if its a proprietary thing of FHTML Incs. or is it going to be a part of the standards.. say HTML 5..
    I believe for Fhtml to gain wide stage acceptance, they need to get themselves incorporated in the standards..
    They simply cannot run a parallel world.. What do you say..?

    Btw, loved the concept.

  • http://microreviews.org ArchieIndian

    @Vikas FluidHTML and HTML 5 are diiferent. People may feel confused. HTML 5 is still at an early stage. HTML5 is expected to be in final draft stage only by 2012.Adoption of this technology will happen only with the final recommendation in 2022(expected). 2022 looks far but I am sure people will make it happen earlier. HTML5 support is there on many browsers now though. Even IE8 is starting to come up the curve. In HTML5 we will have stuff like Canvas(Custom drawing area),Audio and Video without flash, local data storage mechanism will be more efficient, semantic stuff in place of divs and spans like “Header” and “Footer”.

    FluidHTML is trying to get in a new standard and it is going to be tough. But if the FluidHTML API, which comes out January 2010, is good then it can help. It can bridge the timegap which is there before HTML5 comes up with something. Also if this comes out really good we may have a better HTML5.

  • aditya

    1. FliudHTML can help usher in HTML 5, but does that mean that FluidHTML will go after HTML 5 comes in?

    2. How good is the compatibility of FHTML with the present HTML and how well will it be compatible with HTML 5? This comes up because HTML 5 is still in the development phase, and FHTML is out in the market. So, do FHTML developers have enough foresight to take care of this?

    Please enlighten.

  • http://microreviews.org ArchieIndian

    @Aditya As I have mentioned in the post They use an interpreter FHTML.SWF. So Compatibility is just not an issue. It is like added functionality which comes in as a component everytime you use FluidHTML for ur page. Even Server side compatibility is not a problem. The only thing i believe should be

    1 How good it is?
    2 How they get enough developers to work on this?
    3 How good is the FHTML Api which comes out in jan 2010?
    4 Who puts in his money on them. Do they have a good enough business model? They have one which has been described.

  • aditya

    You mentioned that fhtml need not be compiled every time like flash, but you also mentioned that fhtml will be using an interpreter, which i suppose is pretty much like a compiler. Correct me if i am wrong.

  • http://microreviews.org ArchieIndian

    Yes a very basic difference is there . Interpreter will go line by line and atleast show the stuff upto which you are correct. In case of compiler if there is an error, you get an error page and nothing else.
    I found a good difference at http://forums.techarena.in/software-development/1120767.htm

  • Vikash

    I wanted to know if its a proprietary thing of FHTML Incs. or is it going to be a part of the standards.. say HTML 5..<br />
    I believe for Fhtml to gain wide stage acceptance, they need to get themselves incorporated in the standards..<br />
    They simply cannot run a parallel world.. What do you say..?<br />
    <br />
    Btw, loved the concept.

  • ArchieIndian

    @Vikas FluidHTML and HTML 5 are diiferent. People may feel confused. HTML 5 is still at an early stage. HTML5 is expected to be in final draft stage only by 2012.Adoption of this technology will happen only with the final recommendation in 2022(expected). 2022 looks far but I am sure people will make it happen earlier. HTML5 support is there on many browsers now though. Even IE8 is starting to come up the curve. In HTML5 we will have stuff like Canvas(Custom drawing area),Audio and Video without flash, local data storage mechanism will be more efficient, semantic stuff in place of divs and spans like &quot;Header&quot; and &quot;Footer&quot;.<br />
    <br />
    FluidHTML is trying to get in a new standard and it is going to be tough. But if the FluidHTML API, which comes out January 2010, is good then it can help. It can bridge the timegap which is there before HTML5 comes up with something. Also if this comes out really good we may have a better HTML5.

  • aditya

    1. FliudHTML can help usher in HTML 5, but does that mean that FluidHTML will go after HTML 5 comes in?<br />
    <br />
    2. How good is the compatibility of FHTML with the present HTML and how well will it be compatible with HTML 5? This comes up because HTML 5 is still in the development phase, and FHTML is out in the market. So, do FHTML developers have enough foresight to take care of this?<br />
    <br />
    Please enlighten.

  • ArchieIndian

    @Aditya As I have mentioned in the post They use an interpreter FHTML.SWF. So Compatibility is just not an issue. It is like added functionality which comes in as a component everytime you use FluidHTML for ur page. Even Server side compatibility is not a problem. The only thing i believe should be<br />
    <br />
    1 How good it is?<br />
    2 How they get enough developers to work on this?<br />
    3 How good is the FHTML Api which comes out in jan 2010?<br />
    4 Who puts in his money on them. Do they have a good enough business model? They have one which has been described.

  • aditya

    You mentioned that fhtml need not be compiled every time like flash, but you also mentioned that fhtml will be using an interpreter, which i suppose is pretty much like a compiler. Correct me if i am wrong.

  • ArchieIndian

    Yes a very basic difference is there . Interpreter will go line by line and atleast show the stuff upto which you are correct. In case of compiler if there is an error, you get an error page and nothing else. <br />
    I found a good difference at <a href="http://forums.techarena.in/software-development/1120767.htm&quot; target="_blank"><a href="http://forums.techarena.in/software-development/1120767.htm</a>&quot; target="_blank"><a href="http://forums.techarena.in/software-development/1…</a></a>&quot; target="_blank">http://forums.techarena.in/software-development/1…</a></a></a&gt;

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