my view:
Jobs is saying there is a difference between apps and the web.
I think the key is this:
“It is not Adobe’s goal to help developers write the best iPhone, iPod and iPad apps. It is their goal to help developers write cross platform apps.”
Some mention that apple could get involved in Adobe’s open screen project, but the whole point of that project is “o provide a consistent runtime environment.” How can you do this between a blackberry and an iPhone?
(degrading features gracefully? that sounds like something for the web, not for an app. !!!).
* to be more specific:
“we cannot accept an outcome where developers are blocked from using our innovations and enhancements because they are not available on our competitor’s platforms.”
He is projecting the future (based on Adobe’s past). But I think this is where many just see the world differently from Apple.
I’d wager they see a world where a “runtime environment” can gracefully handle the differences between all forms of hardware. but apple sees a different world where they can specialize their hardware-software connection, until the experience blows everything else away.
I want to make a metaphor here about PC gaming verses xbox/ps3. but. i’d probably *$^@# it up. Basically, PC gaming is a nightmare, but has a much a larger audience. yet most game developers strive to be on the closed systems. hmm. which reminds me of Gabe Newell’s comments at GDC, about this approach being a mistake…
(p.s. i think the “open” section is simply saying “adobe sells Flash7 as a product. that means Flash7 is not governed by open standards”. I don’t know why everyone keeps bringing up Flash player/swfs with regard to this simple claim.)