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 (http://www.risd.edu), 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.?? :confused:

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.??:confused:

[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.

[prizrak]

All vehicle manufacturer websites use flash for everything and sometimes it's very broken with the Linux version of it. Other sites have flash ads that you put your mouse over and the ad extends, on my machine it's just extended all the time. There are also alot of fun flash animation around that people like to look at in their leisure.
House of Chton (not giving the URL cuz unsure of the spelling) requires Flash8 and from their commercials it's not very aparent what it is. In short alot of online content is done in flash and flash for Linux is not only outdated but not as good as the Windows version. Also as far as I know there is no alternative technology.

[aysiu]

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

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.??:confused: I don't see what the point of having Flash would be if you can't even get on the internet.

I've had no problems getting on the internet, so I just followed these instructions to get Flash installed:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RestrictedFormats

[bored2k]

youtube.com
google video.

[adamkane]

Videodownloader firefox extension:
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2390/

[Rhapsody]

The #1 reason for me to get Flash Player back was Nanaca Crash (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanaca_Crash) a highly addictive little game with characters from the eroge game Cross Channel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_Channel) (although Nanaca Crash itself is free from any pornographic material). The best distance I know of is somewhere around the 18000 metre mark (my personal best is about half that). Though it does seem to have some problems on my box under the Linux Flash Player, like sound desyncing (which actually happens on all Flash), screwy sound effects, slight gameplay pauses (also happened under Windows, but not as much), and some animation stopping sometimes. Gameplay logic seems unaffected though, and I just a new personal record (since I know of no way to import my old Windows best) of 5126.12 metres. Feel free to try and beat it. :)

[jazzmuzik]

I use the FlashBlock (https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/433/) Firefox extension. All flash content gets blocked unless you allow it. That way you aren't as annoyed. But I'm with aysiu, I prefer plain old html and css. The trend that worries me is the computer going from an informational/learning/communication device to a brainwashing device like television. You don't need Flash to brainwash, but people do get attracted to moving pictures and pretty colors and Flash makes it more likely that you see and hear stateist fearmongering and basic horseshit.

[Jucato]

Flash cartoons/animation. That's basically the only thing I need flash for. I actually don't like web pages that require you to have Flash. It's pretty inconvenient.

HTML and CSS are of course better ways to present information on the internet. But there might be some cases where those just won't work. Not everybody likes menus in Flash. But not everybody hates them as well. These menus come a bit closer to looking like what you would have on your desktop. Also, some kinds of data or display just won't do with normal HTML/CSS (I think). For example, interactive demos/previews of devices like cellphones. I'm not sure if such a thing would be possible in CSS. (Of course, as my knowledge in HTML and CSS are not so updated, I might be entirely wrong).

Anyway, a site that is entirely, or even 50% made up of Flash feels a bit bulky and heavy on the bandwidth. Even if Flash uses vector-based graphics, some are not entirely vector-based.

But I guess until there comes another, better, and probably (hopefully) open source technology to provide the kind of functions that flash has, we'll be stuck with it and be stuck with hacking around it.

[aysiu]

People have mentioned Adblock and Flashblock.

Just to throw another one in there--I use NoScript, which can block Javascript and Flash.

[Lord Illidan]

I get it for some small games, and those cartoons, animated movies.

However, I really dislike flash navigation. Slow, and a waste of time...

Some of my friends like impressing with nice flash based sites. Imho, a well designed html or css site can beat them anytime, like the ZenCss site.

[adamkane]

I meant Flashblock, not Adblock, but I use Adblock also.

I used Flash to navigate the foodtv.com site in the past, but I get my recipes elsewhere now.

[jason.b.c]

I don't see what the point of having Flash would be if you can't even get on the internet.

I've had no problems getting on the internet, so I just followed these instructions to get Flash installed:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RestrictedFormats


Thats just it.!, I don't have flash player or internet in ubuntu..

It's that you said: some websites only use Flash.

So my question was: How to get around this. :-k

[centered effect]

I find Flash useless and annoying actually. Flash is good for animation and some programming (I think I read somewhere Strongbad site couldn't be done without Flash). Most of what Flash can do, can be done with Ajax (web design work), Synfig (waits patiently for apache modules and browser plugins!!) and other animation tools, and... I don't code so I don't know an alternative to Actionscript.

One good reason to use Flash (web designers probably know this one): sIFR.
http://www.mikeindustries.com/blog/archive/2004/08/sifr

It uses Flash to embed fonts. Extracted from the site above:



sIFR, or Scalable Inman Flash Replacement, we finally have a standards-compliant way to deliver rich typographical text in a flexible manner to over 90% of web users.


But for the masses, Flash is a waste, except in games.

I dispise Flash navigation (especially if the rest of the site is in html). Didn't I read somewhere that Flash navigation is NOT SEARCH FRIENDLY?

[BoyOfDestiny]

Thats just it.!, I don't have flash player or internet in ubuntu..

It's that you said: some websites only use Flash.

So my question was: How to get around this. :-k

Well, this is pretty good so far

http://www.gnu.org/software/gnash/

Sound support is still being implemented (I want that since I avoid flash sites, but like flash cartoons, sound is a necessity)

[GoA]

I like flash and hate the fact that it doesnt't work properly in linux. Currently in firefox flash works, but I get only sound when any othewr applicatioj doesnt't produce sound. And on opera flash/mplayer doesn't work t all... I have to admid that some things just work better with windows because manufactures plan things for it.

[BoyOfDestiny]

I like flash and hate the fact that it doesnt't work properly in linux. Currently in firefox flash works, but I get only sound when any othewr applicatioj doesnt't produce sound. And on opera flash/mplayer doesn't work t all... I have to admid that some things just work better with windows because manufactures plan things for it.

Well, install alsa-oss. Launch firefox like

aoss firefox

Sound problem should be gone. The reason is 2 fold, one Ubuntu has ESD (which I disable on every install) the other that macromedia made their Linux flash version use OSS...Which ESD likes to tie up...

There is a setting you can change within firefox to use aoss, just search the forums (I find it easier to just change the launcher...)

[Jucato]

@jason.b.c: what aysiu meant was that since you have no internet, you would have no need for Flash since you won't be able to visit any site.

But anyway, there's a package in the repositories for the flash player. I'm not on my Kubuntu box so I can't verify the name of the package.

This link (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RestrictedFormats#head-f375cba46014e861cd5ec7643bd7c4ef05acff2b) takes you directly to the part on how to have Flash installed. Just follow it depending on what version you are using (Dapper or Breezy, Ubuntu or Kubuntu, i386 AMD64 or PPC). Take note that this isn't the most recent flash player, and that shockwave is absolutely not supported.

[GoA]

Well, install alsa-oss. Launch firefox like

aoss firefox

Sound problem should be gone. The reason is 2 fold, one Ubuntu has ESD (which I disable on every install) the other that macromedia made their Linux flash version use OSS...Which ESD likes to tie up...

There is a setting you can change within firefox to use aoss, just search the forums (I find it easier to just change the launcher...)

I hate to say this but why do I have to different workarounds to get things work, shouldn't it be so that things just work? However, flash isn't ubuntus fault, macromedia just doesn't want to support linux I guess.

[zluka]

sorry for the off-topic..

i've argued with my wife yesterday, and since i made 6969 m. in nanana+crash, i feel good for the first time today. guess call my wife and take things easier ;)

so flash player is good for something (for me, and for the first time :mrgreen: )

[hotbrainz]

Being a flash web designer myself, I would simply say that Flash sites are simply full of life rather than plain ol' HTML. They are without doubt designed for the people with a more creative outlook. It would be not rite to call it bad. It can be thought of as analogous to modern art. If it takes time to load thats becoz of bad design and more importantly slow connection.

FLash is a thing of the future, just as Ubuntu has bought freedom and flexibility to the OS scenario, Flash emancipates the conventional web design. Thats the way i look at stuff.. but others may see different!

[BoyOfDestiny]

I hate to say this but why do I have to different workarounds to get things work, shouldn't it be so that things just work? However, flash isn't ubuntus fault, macromedia just doesn't want to support linux I guess.

Well, depends on your hardware. My desktop has an audigy2 zs, with hardware mixing so technically no need for a workaround...

My laptop is not so lucky.
When I first started Ubuntu on there, I had sound problems due to ESD. When I disabled it, suddenly apps using OSS had sound consistently... but never at the same time. Now in dapper, ALSA has dmix. Which I've found great. Lots of apps open making sound, no problems.

http://www.alsa-project.org/

I guess all these sound systems can co-exist. I favor alsa since it works well, and has support for mixing OSS (if you grab alsa-oss). ESD... Well, I'm just not a fan of. One day I hope it's gone or at least works where it isn't laggy and ties up /dev/dsp...

Mostly my opinion and experiences here, but I can vouch for ALSA, especially if you have a decent soundcard.

[BoyOfDestiny]

Being a flash web designer myself, I would simply say that Flash sites are simply full of life rather than plain ol' HTML. They are without doubt designed for the people with a more creative outlook. It would be not rite to call it bad. It can be thought of as analogous to modern art. If it takes time to load thats becoz of bad design and more importantly slow connection.

FLash is a thing of the future, just as Ubuntu has bought freedom and flexibility to the OS scenario, Flash emancipates the conventional web design. Thats the way i look at stuff.. but others may see different!


If you make a flash site (especially let's say navigation), you should at least provide an html alternative for users that cannot access/use it.

[gonçalo]

I installed it just because it annoyed me not to be able to see what was behind that missing plugin thing.

But.. I start black listing almost every embeded flash content with adblock and flashblock.

I may be sick in the head. One thing that books and paper still have better than the web is that that aren't any pop ups besides the ocasional silverfish.

[helpme]

Being a flash web designer myself, I would simply say that Flash sites are simply full of life rather than plain ol' HTML. They are without doubt designed for the people with a more creative outlook. It would be not rite to call it bad. It can be thought of as analogous to modern art. If it takes time to load thats becoz of bad design and more importantly slow connection.

FLash is a thing of the future, just as Ubuntu has bought freedom and flexibility to the OS scenario, Flash emancipates the conventional web design. Thats the way i look at stuff.. but others may see different!
Flash sites are evil and a thing of the past and here's why:
- You can do almost anything you can do with flash with other, open tools
- Flash is slow
- Flash breaks navigation
- Flash hides content form search engines
- Flash makes c&p impossible
- Flash makes sites inaccessible
- Flash is a closed format, not a standard. Every linux user can feel the effects of this.

Seriously, building flash sites is about the dumbest things one could do, both from a practical, as well as from an ethical, as well as from an economic standpoint.

[hotbrainz]

Like i said before...flash is not for sites like ebay or for any commercial enterprise for that matter, it is not for people who spend serious time over the internet.

It is quite similar to trying to compare documentaries to action movies. Flash sites make sites look good. And as far as alternative HTML is concerned, I provide a basic HTML page to start with which has flash download link and then you get to see the good stuff :)

End of the day, its all about perspective. You cant remove action movies now from cinemas if they cant be seen in offices now can you. What i mean is your ideas are absolutely true in a business environment but even bling bling and eye candy is big business with the new gen..

[Jucato]

Let's just take note that not all web pages are put up just to provide text-based information. Some are solely for entertainment purposes or for audiences that would rather have flashy (no pun intended) designs. In some ways normal HTML/CSS cannot deliver the needed experience.

Just as it is illogical or unnecessary to build a fully flash-based sites to display info such as, for example, technical manuals (imagine if an online man pages version was available, but displayed entirely in flash), it would be equally foolish and tedious to build a site about animation purely using HTML.

While Flash is bulky and at times slow, it does serve its purpose. It just so happens that some (probably most) Linux users have no need for such things that Flash can deliver.

[adamkane]

homestarrunner is the example of how to use Flash. It's creative, fun, and non-commercial, but I think it is the exception that proves the rule that Flash is used to push extra content that the viewer doesn't want.

My brother is an experienced web programmer, and he used to say that Flash is poorly documented and poorly implemented. He's happier that he doesn't have to program with it anymore.