Windows 8 and Metro IE

[Guest]

Does anyone know if Adobe has officially responded to Microsoft's announcement regarding the intentional lack of plug-in support in the "Metro" mode of Internet Explorer 10? I can't help but admit that this seems like a huge (and scary) blow to Flash Player. First Apple, now Microsoft?

[chris.campbell]

Here's the link to our public response:

http://blogs.adobe.com/flashplatform/2011/09/flash-support-on-windows-8-and-metro.html

Chris

[FM_Flame]

Can you please explain me this part: "In addition, we expect Flash based apps will come to Metro via Adobe AIR"

How would that work? If metro is a free plugin browser how will Adobe AIR work within it? I'm imagining this as if I will have to port my website from Flash to AIR so it can work in metro when you open the website url, but I have serious doubts that it will work this way. Can you explain please ?

[chris.campbell]

Metro is a design style/language for Windows 8, introduced originally in Windows Phone 7 (http://www.microsoft.com/design/toolbox/tutorials/windows-phone-7/metro/).  There is a Metro version of IE 10 which is what you originally asked about.  However, there will be many other Metro styled apps developed both by Microsoft and third party developers covering all sorts of different functionality.  Microsoft has a Getting started with Metro style app development document available now, and from the blog entry it sounds like we expect to have this coding/design style available to Flash developers via Adobe AIR.

Chris

[FM_Flame]

ok thanks for the references! So I will definitely take a look at them

It's just hard for me to imagine at this point, how will the users browse to that applications. By that I mean these 3 cases:

1) a website must be html5 only to be viewed directly when you open a url

2) if website is application developed by AIR for example then what? You'll have to download and install the application to view the website?

3) a website must be html5, and can't be an application -> meaning that there are 2 section, 1 for website and 1 for applications? If so how will the user browse to my website if it's made by AIR?

This is what's confusing me at this point - how will things work, because If I have to make the user download and install my website before viewing it... it's is a dealbraker in my opinion...

Do you know how this works ?

I hope I will find some info about it in the links you gave me, but still If you are informed about it, please let me know

[FM_Flame]

I've just watched a video about how windows IE 10 metro works:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyuGxEZZHRk

At some point they said that IE detects in an an App is available for a site and if you have that app installed you can switch directly to the app or something like that. Does this mean that I will have to make an intro page in html5 for the users and an App with flash AIR which they need to download and install in order to view the fully functional, rich and full of content website? Lets assume that windows IE Metro apps live in thier own space (and this is the new "normal" style of managing websites and apps") apart from other programs you install on windows... that might actually be a good thing.. but do they ? Could you please comment on this one also?

I'm trying to figure out If I have to worry about finding work in future as a flash/flex developer in the field of web, cause I prefer using flash for the web not games or desktop application like screensavers or something like that... an argumented response to this would be very appreciated!...

[chris.campbell]

Unfortunately, I don't have any background with Metro.  I've been assuming that it was a visual and layout style that could be written in HTML, C++, C#, etc.  I could be wrong, but I don't think you can assume that Metro is only Internet Explorer.  From my understanding, just about any application UI can be Metrofied if the developers want to put the time and effort into it.

I have the preview version of Windows 8 installed and I've found that when running IE Metro, I have to hit a button at the bottom of the screen to launch IE desktop.

I'm sorry I don't have definitive information.  You might want to consider posting over on the Flash Pro or AIR Mobile forums to see if any of the developers there can answer your questions.