Firefox Blocks Adobe Flash by Default

I don't install Flash on my personal computers. Most of videos I need play in HTML5 player, some which don't aren't ones I can't live without.
 
It's about time.

Flash is an evil, bloated, battery-killing. insecure relic. It should be outlawed globally as it will never be secure without a complete re-write. There is no technical (or other) reason for Flash to exist since superior alternative platforms are available.
 
The three most exploited programs are 1) Adobe Flash, 2) Oracle Java Virtual Machine and 3) Adobe Acrobat.

For many years now, the security community has STRONGLY recommended that these applications be removed from ALL personal computers and most business computers.

In any case, there are safe alternatives for each of these applications.
 
One only needs Flash for pornography.

There is absolutely no other reason to have it installed on a machine.
 
One only needs Flash for pornography.

There is absolutely no other reason to have it installed on a machine.

That is what Steve Jobs said. But this assertion is not right. There are many other industries that use compressed data. Besides, what is the difference btw. AIR, HTML5 and Flash?
 
I don't install Flash on my personal computers. ...

Then I guess you don't use Windows. The current Windows Internet Explorer has its own embedded Flash Player. You can't has IE without Flash, at least until MS follows Mozilla's lead.
 
Chrome has already patched flash..

Hardly. They've patched the currently found bugs, but the core Flash Player code is full of holes as can be seen by the continual patches necessary. Who knows what other flaws have been found by those who keep them secret so they can exploit them.
 
As a Flash instructor and developer in a former life, Flash is/was an amazing technology. It is "not" bloatware... And it remains one of the best rapid application development tools available. However, as a vector animation tool it is processor intensive, which was -fine- during the desktop era, which we're, incidentally, still in. Jobs started the anti-Flash campaign for obvious reasons. And the cult followed along with their leader... We hear and obey, mastah.
 
1) Flash alternative = HTML 5 video
2) JVM = not necessary on personal workstations though if one insists then see the following list https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Java_virtual_machines
3) Acrobat = many, many options (google "acrobat alternatives" for more information). The one I recommend is https://www.gonitro.com/pdf-reader

So if I wish to use HTML 5 video instead of flash what must I do? When Firefox was blocking flash any video pages came up with an error. So obviously some changes or plug-ins are required FOR HTML 5 to substitute. For now I have simply upgraded to a later version of flash which does still run in Firefox.


It would be nice BTW if Mozilla is truly committed to killing flash off if they would make it easy for users of their browser to run some alternative plug in given must of us have little interest in delving into the guts of a browser which as far as I am concerned is like a refrigerator - a boring as bat sh#t piece of kit which I just expect it to work and have no interest in how or why it does so.
 
what is the difference btw. AIR, HTML5 and Flash?

Adobe AIR is a proprietary, runtime application that allows "rich interface" (i.e. complex) applications to run on multiple platforms using the same code base.

Adobe AIR is not a replacement for the Flash plugin (though it does share some of the same technology and capabilities).

HTML5 is the latest open web specification supported by all current browsers. Like AIR, it allows complex applications to run on multiple platforms. HTML5 has very strong multimedia capability (though arguably, not as comprehensive as Flash). The big advantage of HTML5 is that is secure and widely supported.

The only reason Flash continues to exist is inertia and laziness, safer options have been available for some time now. With its long known, and ongoing stability and vulnerability issues, sites that continue to host Flash content are exposing their readers to potential harm, this is unethical and totally unacceptable. If everyone uninstalled Flash, the content providers will eventually get the message and convert their (Flash) content to HTML5.
 
So if I wish to use HTML 5 video instead of flash what must I do?

If the site does not contain HTML5 content, then there is nothing you can do.

That being said, I would remove the Flash Plugin, restart the computer and try accessing the site again. (You can always reinstall the Flash plugin, though I would strongly recommend not doing so.)

Another option is to access the site from an Apple IOS device. (If the site contains HTML5 content, it will display. If not, you will get a message stating that the Adobe Flash plugin needs to be installed. Which, of course, is impossible for an IOS device.)
 
And the cult followed along with their leader... We hear and obey, mastah.

If you believe that -- fine.

But 20 plus years of designing secure data interfaces has shown me that flash means big trouble, for servers and clients.

Just the constant updating, directly from Adobe invites even Root Kits to be installed. I do not run it on my machines.

And yes it was fun when it first came out. I even co-developed some flash games mentioned in Mary Jo Fahey's "Web Publisher's design guide for Macintosh." But gezz that was in 1997 (page 343 Disguise-O-Rama - developed by Chris Kingsley). Of course movable sprites were fun! One has to move on when something is obviously flawed.

If everyone uninstalled Flash, the content providers will eventually get the message and convert their (Flash) content to HTML5.

And miss out on all that Soviet granny-panty era pornography? :D
 
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