From: Michal Suchanek Date: 2009-09-11T17:38:34+09:00 Subject: Re: Rubyscript instead of javascript 2009/9/11 Rimantas Liubertas : >>> Also, to this day, Flash for Linux is only available for 32-Bit x86 >>> processors >> >> Wrong. Flash in general has only been 32-bit. It's just that Linux is the only >> 64-bit capable OS on which the majority of the system is 64-bit out of the >> box, including the browser. > > Not exactly true (anymore). OS X 10.6 runs majority of the system in > 64 bits (including Safari) out of the box even if kernel runs in 32 > bit mode by default. What's nice that now it runs plugins > sandboxed, so plugin crashing does not bring the browser down. > On the other hand, Flash still eats a lot of CPU  on OS X :( Flash eats a lot of CPU time. It might be that the runtime is inefficient or that every kiddy with no programming skills can churn out ActionScripts by using DreamWeaver or somesuch without any regard for the load their toys put on the machine of anybody who happens to end up on their page. Either way it is not platform specific problem unless you consider flash itself as the platform. And yes, flash supports only a tiny fraction of platforms. Macromedia wanted tight control over the flash platform so they disallowed writing alternate flash viewers. The result is that if you put some chips together, compile a web browser for that platform and put it into a case to make a set-top box you won't have flash unless you are Windows based, i386 LInux based or can emulate one of those. With the additional catch that windows for non-i386 can have older player. On the other hand, you should be able to run Java and Mono on any platform for which you manage to build a graphical browser. The portability of Java used to suck too but with openjdk it has much improved lately. Thanks Michal.