Lightspark: LLVM-based Flash Player for Linux (opens in new tab)

(lightspark.sourceforge.net)

158 pointsmmc16y ago13 comments

13 comments

11 comments · 6 top-level

pmjordan16y ago· 2 in thread

So far, my impression was that the problem with building a Flash implementation isn't so much the language runtime as everything else - rendering, video, audio, input, etc. Isn't Tamarin [1] enough to run ActionScript 3?

FWIW, I realise that this has an advanced implementation of some graphical features and I'm not trying to belittle it, it seems an impressive effort. I'm just curious what's currently holding back a full implementation.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamarin_(JavaScript_engine)

someone_here16y ago

Tamarin is what runs AS3 in the Adobe Flash Player.

pmjordan16y ago

Exactly. And it's open source. So my question is: why re-invent that part? The other bits seem more pressing for practical use, even if Tamarin isn't as fast as it could be or whatever.

1 more reply

orblivion16y ago· 2 in thread

So does this read actionscript, or straight from the .swf?

trun16y ago

Reads the bytecode straight from the swf. Haven't tried it yet, but it looks to be a lot further along than Gnash was.

jomohke16y ago

The two projects appear to have implemented different parts of flash. Flash has several separate virtual machines, which have been introduced over the years with new versions of flash.

Lightspark only implements the newer ActionScript3 runtime, from Flash 9 (and newer), while Gnash only (?) implements some of the earlier runtimes.

Currently Lightspark can only run the newer HD youtube player (which is compiled against flash 9), and Gnash can only run the older player (Which I think is still used for VP6 videos)

1 more reply

mambodog16y ago· 1 in thread

When (I'm hoping it's 'when') this becomes stable I'm thinking a Mac port of this would make a lot of people happy. Despite Steve's fighting words I think most Mac users out there would prefer not to be second-class citizens on the web, and this could be a big step in that direction.

PS. Apologies for stealing your thunder there, Linux people, I just see the average Mac user wanting [a decent flash player] more than the average Linux user.

someone_here16y ago

Linux users do have a decent flash player. We have hardware acceleration! Apple only recently released the required video API for the flash player.

naner16y ago

http://allievi.sssup.it/techblog/?p=260

Has a little more info

cookiecaper16y ago

Tried to install a couple of days ago; it builds with tweaks but crashes on my up-to-date Arch Linux install.

perpetuity16y ago

I don't desire flash so much that this matters.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

13 comments

11 comments · 6 top-level

pmjordan16y ago· 2 in thread

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamarin_(JavaScript_engine)

someone_here16y ago

Tamarin is what runs AS3 in the Adobe Flash Player.

pmjordan16y ago

Exactly. And it's open source. So my question is: why re-invent that part? The other bits seem more pressing for practical use, even if Tamarin isn't as fast as it could be or whatever.

1 more reply

orblivion16y ago· 2 in thread

So does this read actionscript, or straight from the .swf?

trun16y ago

Reads the bytecode straight from the swf. Haven't tried it yet, but it looks to be a lot further along than Gnash was.

jomohke16y ago

The two projects appear to have implemented different parts of flash. Flash has several separate virtual machines, which have been introduced over the years with new versions of flash.

Lightspark only implements the newer ActionScript3 runtime, from Flash 9 (and newer), while Gnash only (?) implements some of the earlier runtimes.

Currently Lightspark can only run the newer HD youtube player (which is compiled against flash 9), and Gnash can only run the older player (Which I think is still used for VP6 videos)

1 more reply

mambodog16y ago· 1 in thread

PS. Apologies for stealing your thunder there, Linux people, I just see the average Mac user wanting [a decent flash player] more than the average Linux user.

someone_here16y ago

Linux users do have a decent flash player. We have hardware acceleration! Apple only recently released the required video API for the flash player.

naner16y ago

http://allievi.sssup.it/techblog/?p=260

Has a little more info

cookiecaper16y ago

Tried to install a couple of days ago; it builds with tweaks but crashes on my up-to-date Arch Linux install.

perpetuity16y ago

I don't desire flash so much that this matters.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse