Re: [Gnash-dev] Building extensions

[Rob Savoye]

Martin Guy wrote:

> As a user I wouldn't want *any* extensions enabled that write to the
> environment unless I were running one specific Flash movie with known

  It is obvious the extension mechanism needs some additional security
that currently it doesn't have. Rather than bitching about this, I'd
rather just see somebody volunteer to fix this now, instead of "when we
get around to it". Improving the security of Gnash is on the TODO
list... but everyone wanted video support, so that gets most of the focus.

> I would have said "or by config file or by menu-preferences" but now I
> wonder whether Gnash-specific extensions can always be disabled in the
> browser plugin.

  Extensions are disabled by default, and primarily oriented towards
embedded platforms. You must configure specifically to enable
extensions, which works to the point I think Udo and I are the only ones
that use them.

> That would also avoid the appearance on the web of Flash movies that
> only work with Gnash (so we do not end up looking like the new

  We *will* be extending Flash, get used to the idea... We can be as
compatible as possible with the Adobe player, and also extend it. Our
extensions are no different than using the Flash SDK, which defines many
new ActionScript classes not in the ECMA spec.

  The big difference between Gnash extending Flash and M$ pulling their
"embrace and extend" trick is that unlike M$, we do want compatibility.
M$ introduces incompatible changes, which we aren't planning to do.
We're *extending" things, not redefining anything.

  In the near future, we will be working on a series of Flash based
applications that will only run with Gnash because the Adobe player is
just too limited, and with Gnash, we can optimize what we need to. Some
things, like multi-media editors for audio and video are going to need
all the help they can get. We aren't just creating a Flash player, we're
trying to create an entire multimedia environment that just happens to
be Flash compatible.

        - rob -