Made multimedia efficient on the WWW.
http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/2618.asp
Flash traces its beginnings to an animation tool called FutureSplash, debuted by FutureWave Software in 1992. By 1996, Disney Online was using FutureSplash for animated content on its subscription based online service Disney Daily Blast. In December of 1996, Macromedia bought FutureWave Software and FutureSplash Animator, the design tool at the heart of the technology, became Macromedia Flash 1.0.
Over the next several years, Macromedia issued several updates to Flash. Most of these were improvements that have changed the nature of Flash from a simple Web drawing and animation package to a full multimedia development environment. The biggest leap forward took place in March 2002 when Macromedia released the Flash MX developer tool in tandem with Flash Player 6. The application and associated software made a whole host of new rich media applications available—including Web-based e-commerce forms and compatibility with mobile devices.
