What's Flash Player good for?

[adamkane]

Everyone wants to know how to install the latest flash player (which isn't available yet), but no one is saying what they use it for.

Which fun or useful sites use Flash Player? I'm personally not interested in the mindless video game web pages that use Flash Player.

Google Video uses Flash Player, but it's not at all necessary in order to enjoy the videos.

What is Flash Player good for? What is the redeeming value?

[aysiu]

There are some websites that just don't work without Flash.

The Rhode Island School of Design's website, for example.

A lot of websites rely on Flash just for basic navigation.

And, of course, there are sites that allow you to view "fun" things (youtube, Google Video, etc.) with Flash.

If I had my way, we'd do away with Flash. I hate Flash intros, and I always look for the "skip intro" button when I see them. Flash navigation is unpredictable--a link doesn't necessarily look like a look, the back button doesn't necessarily take you back, keyboard shortcuts no longer function as they should, and pages take longer to load.

[jazzmuzik]

I don't care for flash intros at all. Back in the 90's people were designing web pages with html splash screens. They died out just as flash intros should die out. Entire sites designed with Flash are limiting and slow. I've never designed anything with Flash, but I believe it does vector graphics which is a really fast way to display images.

[zluka]

i have to install it for some sites i use at work (the damn navigation thing).

besides, most of the banks in turkey do not allow you into their online-branch without flash, guess they think it's securer..

i also have no need for the mind-boogling flash games and the ads or splash screens are really waste of time, bandwith, and nerves..

i install the player, and run for "adblock" when i open a page.. i need the info in there, the good old text info, not some jumping, sliding, interactive ad..

[adamkane]

I sometimes have to use Flash with Adblock as well. I'm just so amazed at how many people think they need Flash. Is there anyone out there, who uses Flash, because they want to?

If a website has an annoying front page, I just search the site in Google, and bypass the front page. (Yes, I know that this is not always possible.)

[aysiu]

Is there anyone out there, who uses Flash, because they want to?

I don't. I wish more of the web was just plain old HTML and CSS.

[jason.b.c]

There are some websites that just don't work without Flash.

Wait a minute, So then what are ubuntu user's doing to get around this.??

The reason i ask is because i can't get on the internet with mine ( not yet anyway )..

If you can't install flash player, then, how are you supposed to get on those kinds of website's ..???

Or can i install it.??

[banjobacon]

I would prefer if sites did not use Flash for site layout, splash screens, ads and videos, but I still install the player so I can play the occassional Flash game. Video is also a reason to install it, even though its usage is not ideal in this situation (the audio and video usually gets out of sync in Linux), it's hard to deny the appeal of Youtube and Google Video.

[adamkane]

There are firefox extensions that allow you to download/view Google Video without Flash.

[BoyOfDestiny]

IMHO no site should use flash for navigation.

I only use flash for sites like somethingawful. I use flashblock (any flash content is replaced with a little play button, has an option for white listing sites that you want the flash to just load)

Yes, flash is good for silly web cartoons. That is all, and games I guess.