37
13
caused several security experts to recommend not to install Flash at all, or to block it.
[36] [37]
The future of the HTML5 is secured as HTML is the predominant markup lan-
guage for web pages. Thus, in the future it is plausible that HTML5 has the widest dis-
tribution of these three technologies. Also, with HTML5 there is no problem with
mixed-content sites in otherwise static page. On the other hand, HTML5 still has major
problems with audio and video media as there is no standard formats, no effective and
reliable means of delivering media to the browser, no full screen video display with
JavaScript and content protection issues. [20] [37]
5.2 Between the plugins
As Silverlight and Flash are very much similar technologies with same sort of capabili-
ties and experiences, they are the worst competitors of each others.
Flash having somewhat a ubiquitous status has better future proof than Silver-
light and is thus, a step or two ahead of Silverlight. Also, having a long development
history, Flash is a mature technology that has been used widely over years. Silverlight,
on the other hand, is still a rather new technology and it is predicted that the adoption
figure will be 76% by the end of 2011 [25]. The things that speak on behalf of Silver-
light are .NET framework and slightly better capabilities; multithreaded, powerful styl-
ing and easier learning curve. The multi-threading capability may indeed become a
great advantage of Silverlight as more dynamic, full fledged applications can be created
with it [38]. [26]
5.3 Between different Web sites
One way to compare these three different technologies is to think about their usage in
different Web sites. This new perspective opens also interesting point of views about the
future of these technologies. [27]
Static Web site
Although, Web sites have evolved greatly in recent years and become more dynamic,
there are still lots of static Web sites. Even more, not all Web sites need to have dy-
namic in them. A static Web site is simple website design having somewhat a fixed con-
tent. For example, a simple homepage of individuals or even companies containing ba-
sic information about them are often static. Using Flash or Silverlight in static Web sites
would be in vain as they do not give any extra value. HTML5 instead, with all new fea-
tures and more powerful CSS techniques adds lots of value to static Web sites. [25]
Dynamic Web sites
Dynamic Web sites adds more interaction by for example, enabling posting comments
without having to refresh the whole page. In other words, the information in the Web