Top > Webmaster > 2006 > January > 2006-01-25

New Flash-Based Internet Tool

Whether you enjoy watching animation or playing at the online casino on the web, it is almost certain that you have interacted with Flash-based software. Flash is one of the leading plug-ins that can be loaded and used on any browser and any OS, regardless of platform. One of the most popular and ubiquitous rich media plug-ins for any browser on almost any platform is the Macromedia Flash player, which is now owned by Adobe. Thanks to efforts of the Free Software Foundation, a free software flash player called GNU Gnash is now in active development.

The development is apparently occurring without the help or support of Adobe in any way. An Adobe/Macromedia spokesperson was unable to comment on the development. Flash player has always been free, but not in the Free and Open Source Software sense, as it is a proprietary application licensed under a closed source license. GNU Gnash, in contrast, is licensed under the GNU GPL. There are some significant license difficulties with distributing, and to some extent using, proprietary-licensed applications together with GPL-licensed applications. GNU Gnash would eliminate the difficulty with Flash.

"Gnash is GPL2`d, and the Free Software Foundation has the copyright," GNU Gnash maintainer Rob Savoye said. "So the standalone player can be used by anyone, but the Flash player code can only be used by other free software projects under the terms of the GPL". The FSF, which is currently undertaking a review of the GPL has actually listed the development of Gnash as one of its top six high-priority projects. Savoye said that Gnash has not reverse-engineered its code from the existing Macromedia player. He claims that he is a "clean developer" and has never, owned any Macromedia tools, signed any license agreements, nor disassembled any Macromedia products.