I'm trying to use a chat feature on a web site but my phone needs flash 10 apparently, I know the iphone dosn't do flash is there an equivalent ?

Frash. But you need to jailbreak

Being my 4S is just a month old on a 2 year contract I think I will pass on a jailbreak, but why can't apple just put flash on the iSO ?

Jailbreak is simple. And Apple were probably right about not using Flash.

Partly because of the securtiy vulnerabilities inherent in Flash and also because of other limitations of the technology. Adobe have recognised that Flash is not the way forward and are phasing it out. Everything is moving to HTML5 standards which is more suitable for mobile devices and touch screens.

because they can't get a 20% cut of flash games.

they don't get a cut of any free games or apps, so that argument is flawed.

the fact that adobe had now decided to withdraw from the mobile side of things suggest that apple might have had the right idea all along.

so is it easy to jailbreak a 4s?

fairly easy if you know what you're doing, but pointless really.

also, you end up playing a cat and mouse game with every new iOS release.

solution is, stop using flash based chat systems. flash shouldn't be required for a chat system. as someone who used to develop in flash, it's no longer used for what it was originally intended for. all it is now is a (mediocre) video delivery system, and a way to push ads into every empty space on a website.

But more because Apple didnt want to pay

Why would apple have to pay anything to allow adobe to develop flash on the iPhone?

Flash has forever worked terribly on the Mac which is why Apple didn't want it for the iPhone and as mentioned Adobe have pulled all mobile support for flash now anyway.

I will mention there are a few browsers in the app store that have flash support, give them a go.

I would agree that if the iPhone was coming out now then don't have Flash but I think this has been a mistake by Apple for the last 5 years as Flash is important tosomepeopleas the OP has shown.

I would jailbreak if it was me but admittedly I have rooted every Android device I have owned. Just be aware of the pitfalls and the pluses.

So by jailbreaking an iphone does that void the warranty ?also can you restore to factory setting and reinstall a backup If your phone is buggared?

doesn't void warranty as it's only a software hack.
yes you can restore to factory.

however, it seems to be that some official apps are now detecting jailbreaks and refusing to run or not running with full features.

you'll also have the problem that with every new release of iOS, you can't just upgrade as it will remove the jailbreak. you need to wait for the hackers to release a new jailbreak.

for me, it's not worth the hassle.

That's not true, it does void the warranty. If you phone breaks while jail broken and you send it back to apple they can refuse to replace it.

it doesn't void any warranty.
you simply restore it back to factory and any trace of a jailbreak is removed.

if it's broken so much that it won't even power on, then you will have the replacement in your hand before any jailbreak has been detected.

see this support document that only says they "may" deny service, not that they "will" deny service - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3743

When restoring data on iTunes after a factory reset will iTunes give you a restore point ie if I did 3 backups at different dates in the last month or is the only back up the one you last did ?

I have microwaved a phone before to prevent the fact it was heavily modified being detected. Powered on phone in and switching the microwave on. It "popped" in about a second. I ended up with a new phone as it was, unsurprisingly, not reparable.