What are the download rates of plug-ins?

How many people actually take the time to install custom plugins?

[Cienwen]

Hello all.

I am being given a choice.

For this application we are developing, I can have it run on my site using a custom plug-in or make it Flash based.

I assume that most people already have the Flash player installed, but I am told that making updates to this application will be more expensive if it is built in Flash.

If I go the custom plug-in route, I am concerned that the install rate will be low.

Does anyone know of any research or stats on install rates of custom plugins or plugins in general?

Thanks a bunch.

[incrediBILL]

Custom plug-ins have zero trust factor, I certainly wouldn't install it, so I would use Flash myself.

[Fotiman]

I am told that making updates to this application will be more expensive if it is built in Flash

In what way? I would think that it would be much easier to find a Flash developer than it would to find a developer which then has to familiarize him/herself with what is involved in supporting cross-browser plugins (note, that means ActiveX for IE, and not for Firefox, etc.). In my opinion, you would be MUCH better off making use of existing technologies, vs. trying to create a custom plugin, but I don't know where you will find stats on install rates of custom plugins.

[Cienwen]

Thanks for the input.

I believe the reason it will be more expensive is because I am making an iPhone app as the base product but I would like it to run on the web also. The developer has a custom plugin that will allow a smoother transition of updates when they are made in the app and then need to be translated to the web version. If it is done in Flash,it is like a seperate effort to update the Flash version, thus more expensive.

I do agree on the "zero trust" for custom plugins. that was my concern.

I wish I had some numbers to back it up though!

[incrediBILL]

You can run Flash in the iPhone, Blackberry and Android, so if you can make that work by playing your app in Flash you get 4 platforms for a single investment.

Just be aware most devices currently use Flash 9 at the moment if I'm not mistaken.

[Cienwen]

Thanks for the input. That is very helpful.

[bill]

You can run Flash in the iPhone

Not on any of the iPhones I've used.

[piatkow]

Custom plug-ins have zero trust factor

That high? I would have said negative myself.

[swa66]

Just having a custom plug-in available would make quite a few frown on your entire site. Unless you're dealing with a huge brandname: don't even think about it.

[Cienwen]

You can run Flash in the iPhone

I was also under the impression that Flash did not run on iPhone. Because of that I was planning on building a mobile version of my homepage with no Flash.

Unless you're dealing with a huge brandname: don't even think about it.

Even though I am dealing with a huge brandname I don't think I am going to do it. I've been thinking about it and on top of the trust issues I think I have to factor in laziness and indignation. These are both things that I myself would experience at the thought of having to install a custom plugin.

Thanks everybody!

[swa66]

iPhone doesn't do flash.

An iphone doesn't really need a mobile version of your site though. You can detect an iphone with some CSS3 media queries and feed it a simpler layout using CSS (less wide content helps a lot)

CSS3 media queries [webmasterworld.com]
Apple's info [developer.apple.com]

Flash CS5 (the next version) is claimed to be going to include a way to convert flash you author into an iphone app (for the apple iTunes app store)
[labs.adobe.com...]