Will Ipad need a flash app to play on chess.com

I just called the Apple store here. They have an Ipad hooked up to the internet, and I asked the man there to see if he could get on chess.com.  He could, but of course he didn't have a password.

But what he said was that I would probably have to download a flash application to actually play on the web site. He wasn't sure.

Does chess.com not have flash? (I'm not technical savvy so don't know what I am actually asking.) Does anyone know? Would eric know if chess.com has flash. I don't want to buy the Ipad if I can't play chess on chess.com with it.

Is there any way to look this up or do any of you have any experience with playing on the Ipad or even know someone who has one who might be able to tell you.

Need advice please.

stwils

you can just get the chess.com app with it or if you have and Iphone or Ipod you can add the app from there and then open it that way because Ipads are big Ipod s or Iphone( In my opinion) so they should already come with flash. how this helps if this is your problem with the Ipad

This site uses a pretty simple interface, javascript is my guess. There's no reason for the iPhone version to use flash.

I would hope the ipad would just run the website as normal. I have heard that apple doesn't set it up with flash or something.... Basically flash is an issue for some reason, good luck! I would get an ipad if I could run this site...

I hope it runs fine. But if it won't run chess.com, I don't want it.

stwils

you can do anything on chess.com on the ipad, even live chess!

rrrttt, have you tried it? Why do the stores keep saying flash will be an issue?

stwils

I have accessed the full chess.com site including the chess mentor feature using safari on my iPod Touch so I see no problems using the iPad for this as well. Plus there is the chess.com app for iPod touch and iphone which accesses the video's as well.

Sounds like your salesman was a little confused, which is odd because the lack of Flash support on the iPad is a big problem with it.  Here's the deal:

Flash Player is a plugin to web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, etc.) that allows them to run common multimedia content -- videos, animations, etc.  Flash isn't the only way to implement those, but it's easily the market leader, practically everyone uses Flash these days (e.g., YouTube, CNN, ESPN, etc.).  Without a Flash Player -- which you won't be able to get on an iPad, because Apple is refusing to support it -- you won't be able to view most of these sites.

chess.com is mostly an exception.  They don't use much Flash here -- as far as I can tell, they only use Flash for the videos.  (puchiko is right, most of the site is JavaScript instead.)  So while you'll likely have problems getting most sites on the Internet to work right with an iPad, unless you use the video lessons, this is not one of them.

Because Steve Jobs feels like being a prick.

Steve Jobs is starting to have a problem with Adobe; and Adobe is the place where Flash is run from. Jobs believes that HTML5 is going to replace Flash; I kind of doubt it, but whatever. Jobs also says that Flash is a CPU hog and just not useful.

Also, Apple is starting to reject all apps that are not originally written in C, C++ or something along those lines (those are big programing languages in case you didn't know). So chess.com's may start to have some problems if it's written in Javascript (which if I believe it is).

we won't have any problems unless Apple starts to shun websites entirely. but they won't. just flash. 

fwiw - I block Flash entirely and this resulted in sounds not playing on Chess.com. It doesn't *seem* like they use Flash here - but when I whitelisted chess.com in my Flash blocker, the sounds played. I didn't bother to tech it out any further (i.e. does chess.com use Flash?, is it an issue with the Flash blocker I use?, etc.).

Other than that, the iPad should be great for chess.com.

:: everyone seems to be bashing Apple/Jobs for blocking Flash but the thing is, Flash is a buggy CPU hog, esp. on Mac OSX. A bit of history: Adobe has not been esp. supportive of the Mac system for some 10 years (it took 4 years for Adobe to port Photoshop to OSX). App updates from Adobe for OSX tend to be late, performance impaired, buggy or not conform to OSX standards. Hence there may be some payback in Apple's position on Flash. I find all the user/developer laments about the lack of Flash (gated platform, etc.) highly amusing.

Cheers,

TJ

You mean I won't be able to pick up news on CNN?  Not You Tubes and animated stuff on CNN but the writing which tells the news? Can I get pictures?

What will I be able to get?

But I am happy I can get chess.com.

If I download the Shredder chess program for $7.99 I think it comes with flash. They are selling it for the Ipad, so surely it must work. But can't play online with it?

I appreciate all your comments.

stwils

It may be amusing to you, but I see it as arrogant and shortsighted.

Arrogant, because who does Apple think they are to take a position like that?  Their market share is barely significant even on their primary product (Mac), and now they think they can bring an alternative to market and force everyone on the Internet to adhere to their rule?

Shortsighted, because it's not going to happen.  The only ones Apple are going to be hurting are themselves, and the customers who get sold on the iPad without realizing the limitations.  Your comments about Adobe products on Mac OS may be spot-on... but heck, I could (and often do) say exactly the same thing about Windows, and that's not going anywhere.  Flash is just woven into the Internet fabric too tightly, and Apple doesn't have nearly enough clout to change it.

I have been a developer and beta tester for Adobe products for many years. I have seen their decision making (and suffered from it) up close. Yes, I like that they are getting some "push back" from Apple. Yes, I enjoy the cries of "outrage" from Adobe's mouthpieces. It may seem arrogant but Adobe deserves it.

If some developers don't want to follow Apple's ToS then they don't have to. Xbox isn't "open" - neither is Playstation (not sure about Wii) - those are gated platforms. If Apple wants to shun Flash, that is their call.

I don't know how this will all shake out but I am really happy to see Adobe in pain.

(you do know about Flash "cookies" right? Adobe has not been a good Internet player for many years)

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/08/you-deleted-your-cookies-think-again/

I don't see how refusing to support flash is going to change anything. If Apple wants to have it out, maybe they could challenge something that isn't the most popular and accepted creation of Adobe. If they came up with an alternative to .pdfs I would totally support that (the first time I would support anything Apple). But the fact is Apple is just as arrogant and isn't going to do something as sensible as that.

It is Apple's playground and they get to decide who plays. If users or developers don't like that then they are free to pick other options. I really don't see what all the hubbub is about. It is Apple's play and I assume they have some really good reasons. No one need shed tears for Adobe.

And yes, just get the free CHESScom app. iPad is just an 11-inch iPod Touch.