It’s interesting to see the debate caused by the iPhone debate over Flash.  In the new version of the iPhone Developer Program License Agreement, Apple bans Flash and Monotouch:

3.3.1 — Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs. Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (e.g., Applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited).

In Adobe’s last SEC filing, they list the iPhone/iPad as a threat to their business.
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/796343/000079634310000007/form_10q.htm#riskfactors

We offer our desktop application-based products primarily on Windows and Macintosh platforms. We generally offer our server-based products on the Linux platform as well as the Windows and UNIX platforms. To the extent that there is a slowdown of customer purchases of personal computers on either the Windows or Macintosh platform or in general, to the extent that we have difficulty transitioning product or version releases to new Windows and Macintosh operating systems, or to the extent that significant demand arises for our products or competitive products on other platforms before we choose and are able to offer our products on these platforms our business could be harmed. Additionally, to the extent new releases of operating systems or other third-party products, platforms or devices, such as the Apple iPhone or iPad, make it more difficult for our products to perform, and our customers are persuaded to use alternative technologies, our business could be harmed.

I had a conversation recently about IE9 and people were asking why is Microsoft spending money and resources to build IE9 now that we have Silverlight.  It makes just no sense to put so much efforts to support HTML 5 in IE because it’s overlapping with Silverlight, no?  Well, what if Chrome became the dominant browser and all of a sudden, Google would remove the object tag?  Would Microsoft be in the same position as Adobe is right now on the iPhone?

What do you think?

Its interesting to see the debate caused by the iPhone debate over Flash.  In the new version of the iPhone Developer Program License Agreement, Apple bans Flash and Monotouch: 3.3.1 Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs. Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly...

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