There's a screenshot of the latest Central Beta online here:
http://www.oddhammer.com/blog.htm
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There's a screenshot of the latest Central Beta online here:
http://www.oddhammer.com/blog.htm
Bringing up the topic about the bank app again... would you use a flash based bank app in a browser? just like your quicken data is stored on the computer, would you use a Central bank app that allowed you to store the data (wherever). Correct me if I'm wrong, but they're using nothing but ssl for online banking correct?
I would if I knew that all the data cached on my system was encrypted and password protected, that the connection was SSL, and that I could easily clear all cached data if I wanted to.Quote:
Originally posted by gSOLO_01
Bringing up the topic about the bank app again... would you use a flash based bank app in a browser? just like your quicken data is stored on the computer, would you use a Central bank app that allowed you to store the data (wherever). Correct me if I'm wrong, but they're using nothing but ssl for online banking correct?
I think doing any online banking, or purchasing online contains some risk, so anyone that says "method A" is totally secure is simply in a dream world. So yes, there's probably some risk involved with using Central for such an application.. but there's risk involved in everything.
How secure is Quicken?? How secure is online banking with an old unpatched version of IE 4?? How secure is online banking over a cell phone? How about calling into a banks automated banking system with a 900Mhz analog cordless phone??
Trust whom with your bank information? The Bank? The authorization, authentication and stuff aren’t going on at the Flash level. It's happening through SSL on the server, the backend. Where storing the information offline goes, it'd be the same as downloading a excel, csv or quicken file. This time, instead of opening it in Excel, Notepad or Quicken, you’re opening it with Central. Flash/Central would primarily just be an interface...Quote:
Originally posted by gerbick
Bad idea. They're using authorization process(es) and they can't even secure the flash player, and I'm supposed to trust them with my bank information too?
What’s new is the online/offline awareness; the ability to interact with other applications &c. A central place to get your stuff done...
And you do know about the IE SSL exploit, right?Quote:
Originally posted by gSOLO_01
Trust whom with your bank information? The Bank? The authorization, authentication and stuff aren’t going on at the Flash level. It's happening through SSL on the server, the backend. Where storing the information offline goes, it'd be the same as downloading a excel, csv or quicken file. This time, instead of opening it in Excel, Notepad or Quicken, you’re opening it with Central. Flash/Central would primarily just be an interface...
What’s new is the online/offline awareness; the ability to interact with other applications &c. A central place to get your stuff done...
I do not trust Macromedia. I don't fully trust Microsoft with important information and protocols.
For once, do some research dude, and drop the fanaticism. I'm being as honest with you as I possibly can. Flash... insecure. IE... insecure. ActiveX... very insecure. There's an exploit for all of the above.
And having it all in a centralized location, means it will possibly become a one-stop location for people to get all of the information they can.
If Macromedia can pass a CERT scan, or it passes the rigors of NSA or CISSP/ICS2, then I'll listen.
Otherwise, it's not gonna be safe.
Do the research.
I'm still unconvinced about this app's purpose or market potential. Online/offline flash apps are nothing new, you've just had to use 3rd party tools to do it, but the ones I've used are very effective.
The whole basis of central's marketing appeal is this centralised base for applications, and I still can't see this appealing beyond the basic web services. There's a lot that can be done with web services, but I don't see a lot of potential in generating enough revenue for MM and developers to support this idea.
MM are taking a big risk pushing this as a portal for flash apps, rather than taking on the development of a use anywhere flash app utility that would give us more scope than the 3rd party tools currently available. One reason this is a big risk is the development of other portals for web services, especially those mooted by players like microsoft. If you were a large corporation or bank interested in producing web apps then wouldn't you look towards something that integrated with IE? I can't see large corps used to using .NET turning to flash and central for their web service based apps...
I hope this does succeed on some level, but MM have done so much to unimpress me this year that I can't see how they'll get this right. As gerbs says security is a major issue with flash, and MM's handling of these problems not exactly inspirational.
worthwhile glance over...
http://www.markme.com/mesh/archives/002978.cfm
New article in The Guardian. Links here:
http://gsolo.com/blog/archives/000020.cfm
Now into Beta 3...
http://www.actionscript.com/archives/00000556.html
When is Central going to be officially released?
Central will be released later this year. "Beta 3 was released today (August 22nd)."
Michael mentioned that Macromedia plans to make the Central players as ubiquitous as the Flash Player. I asked how they planned on doing this.
"The same way we made the Flash player ubiquitous, by providing plenty of developer content." He also mentioned that the player will eventually be downloadable with the Flash Player itself.
Approximately how big do you expect the Central Player to be?
"We want to keep it under 1 megabyte."
Will this presentation be available on Flash Kit’s server?
"No, because the program is still in beta."
Is this competing with Java Webstart?
"Not in any way. Sun is one of our partners and we would certainly not do anything to upset that relationship. They’ve actually seen this product and are very excited about it."
You mentioned that developing non-profit content will be free, but what about money-making content? Will it be free?
Macromedia will take a cut of any money made through Central’s transaction partners.
What platforms are supported?
Central will work on everything except Mac OS 9. There is even a Linux player in the works.