Flash is multimedia software owned by Adobe that allows animation, advertisements, and videos to be added to web pages. It is written in C++. ActionScript is a scripting language based on ECMAScript that is used to add interactivity and functionality to Flash files, websites, and Rich Internet Applications. ActionScript started as a limited scripting language but evolved into ActionScript 2.0 and 3.0. Flash and ActionScript are widely used due to their ability to run on many browsers, operating systems, and devices with small file sizes and quick download times. Major websites like YouTube and MSN have incorporated Flash and ActionScript.

1. Flash/ActionScript By: Jonathan Spigler

2. What is Flash? Owned by Adobe hence Adobe Flash Multimedia software used to add the following to web pages: Animation Advertisements Web page components Videos Recently used to develop RIAs Written in C++

3. What is ActionScript? Scripting language based on ECMAScript Used for the development of websites and software using flash To add functionality to Web-based games and RIAs with streaming media Also used in some database apps And also used in basic robotics

4. Historical Overview of Flash Jonathan Gay developed the idea while attending college and working for Silicon Beach Software Jonathan Gay, Charlie Jackson, and Michelle Welsh stated the company “FutureWave Software” FutureWave created SmartSketch a drawing application 1995 SmartSketch was modified by adding frame-by-frame animation and re-released it as FutureSplash Animator Product offered to Adobe and used by Microsoft in early of MSN. December 1996, Macromedia acquired the vector-based animation software and later released it as Flash, contracting “Future” and “Splash” After Macromedia Flash 1,2,3…

5. Historical Overview of ActionScript Started as scripting language for Macromedia’s Shockwave Flash authoring tool First version limited interactivity features With Flash 4 in 1999 came the scripting language which was referred to internally as “ActionScript” Flash 7 ActionScript 2.0 emerged Flash 9 Action Script 3.0 emerged

6. Why use Flash/ActionScript? Offers RIAs which can run widest range of browsers, Operation Systems, and devices Flash PlayerCompared to Java, Acrobat Reader, QuickTime, or Windows Media Player Smaller install size Quick download time Faster initializtion time. Flash files tend to be smaller, streams use less bandwidth ActionScript is an OOP language allowing for more control and code reusability.

7. Why use Flash/ActionScript?(continued) ActionScript Virtural Machine (AVM) Allows scripting for interactivity at run-time Support for video MP3 based audio Bitmap graphics Adobe claims 98% of US web users and 99.3% of Internet desktop users have Flash Player Installed 45%-56% have latest version Great for advertisements Great amount of user interaction

8. Major Websites instituting Flash/ActionScript into their Websites MSN.com YouTube.com Salesforce.com NASDAQ.com DirectTV.com The list goes on…

9. Flash/ActionScript Example Simple Calculator

10. Citation Slide www.adobe.com/flashplatform Wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Flash http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ActionScript http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k3h37YKZJI http:// www.flashmagazine.com/news/detail/the_flash_history /