Hot off the presses: Introducing Google TV! I’m really excited about this. Google is creating the software (Google TV) and partnering with Logitech and Sony, who are supplying the hardware. In addition, and what is most exciting to me, is the ability for 3rd party developers to create applications for this new platform. The applications can take two forms: Native (Android) and Web (web technologies including Flash!) Just think of the potential for mashing up all of this rich, powerful content driven by the power of Google services. The inclusion of Flash is a big one and by having Shantanu  (Adobe CEO) up on stage next to Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, to announce this sends a pretty clear message about where Google stands on Flash support.

I’m hoping the performance will improve as people learn to optimize for this new device. Then again, wasn’t that the point of HTML5? It’s supposed to be open and run everywhere (HTML5 is supported).

Thanks to Mike Chambers for posting this interview with Kevin Lynch at Web 2.0 conference in San Francisco. Kevin talks about Adobe, Flash, innovation, HTML 5, thoughts on the direction the web is moving, competition, and Omniture and he does so in a very open and down-to-earth way that I personally appreciate. I’ve been meaning to comment on all the recent hype going on between Apple and Adobe, specifically around Flash, but I’m also a bit sick of all the silly talk; most of which is just nonsense and not even based in reality. Hopefully it will calm down in a while and I’ll have some strength left over to dedicate to some thoughts.<br />

One of the great things about the job I have, is that I am truly technology agnostic – I use everything and I’m loyal to no one! Therefore, I am able to see technologies for what they are: tools to help me create. How do I choose which tool to use? Based on what is most appropriate for the job. This evaluation could include:

(1) Pure capabilities: can it do what I want it to? And at the fidelity I require?

(2) Audience reach: it may be an amazing tool, but can anyone else actually see what I create?

(3)  Speed to deploy: how fast can I get something moving? This is perhaps the most controversial. The process of creating traditional (boxed) software was one of slow moving teams; perfecting every single line of code in order to get it in the box before the shrink wrap stuck. In the digital world today, as companies like Google and Facebook have shown us, this type of software life-cycle/philosophy is potentially a detriment to your business. Today, it’s about getting ideas in front of users fast, collecting feedback, and iterating on your masterpiece; it’s not about spending 5 years to get it perfect the first time.

Interestingly, not as important of an evaluation point, to me anyway, is whether or not my tool of choice is necessarily deemed an “open standard.” Perhaps this decision point could relate to #2, Audience reach….someday maybe….

However, certainly in the case of HTML5, THE open standard of the hour, it is also the tool with the smallest audience!

Of course, as Steve Jobs would argue, we should be thinking of the future – when one day open standards will rule everywhere (unless you want to develop a native app for a Mac product, in which case you’ll need to live in the closed world of Apple native app development). PLEASE NOTE the distiction between the two very different uses of “open”:

1). Open standards apply to WEB technologies. HTML(x) is an open standard and supported by Apple. Flash is not because it is a plug-in (ironically, it is also the most prevalent piece of software on the planet, more than any single operating system or browser, which one could argue makes it a Standard!)

2) Open (development) environment points more to how you create your work (software). Apple’s environment is CLOSED – while Flash is OPEN. You won’t hear Steve Jobs talk up this point.

I do agree with Steve about WEB open standards, and I’m excited about HTML5, and the future of our biz. I feel that over time, this will be the direction where we will see the industry moving – and it could be a relatively quick move. However, it’s important to remember that the people creating and using these experiences….don’t really give a crap if a technology is considered open or not, and certainly are not interested in waiting around for another 10 years for the next improvements on their tool spec (I believe that HTML4 was ratified in 1999??.…which means it has taken over 10/11 years to get HTML5 going…..and it’s still not even here!) This doesn’t even account for how long it takes these open standards to make their way out into the “working world.” Ask any employee of a large corporation which browser they are using right now – chances are it is IE 7 – a non-HTML5-ready browser. Many of my clients, who work for huge corporations are still using IE6 because their IT departments have not yet upgraded them yet. IT departments for huge corporations don’t just upgrade thousands and thousands of computers just because someone is excited that HTML5 is out.

I hope I don’t sound too harsh on open standards, because I truly do believe this is the way to go, and I’m excited to start focusing much of my attention in this directions. However, putting all the hype and dirty talk aside, I’m realistic to know that (a) it will take time for any “standard” to become adopted, and (b) in the meantime, certain tools (including Flash) are far more ubiquitous and continue to make significant improvements every single year – not every 10 years. This is important to me too.

I enjoyed watching Kevin’s talk because he seems to be more in-line with my thinking: It’s not about the tool (it’s not Flash vs HTML5), it’s about allowing users the freedom to choose and create what they want in the tool of their choice. Perhaps that is the ultimate Open Standard.