Adobe Abandons Flash on Linux

[hunterkasy]

Adobe will no longer provide new releases of Flash Player for Linux after version 11.2, the company has today announced.

Google will, instead, take over the implementation of Flash Player via a new plugin API called ‘Pepper‘.

The pair-up means that Linux users using Google’s Chrome browser will still be able to benefit from new Flash Player features and improvements. Google are expected to begin shipping the new Pepper-based version of Flash player in Google Chrome later this year.

In their short statement, Adobe write: -

“For Flash Player releases after 11.2, the Flash Player browser plugin for Linux will only be available via the “Pepper” API as part of the Google Chrome browser distribution and will no longer be available as a direct download from Adobe.”

Adobe aren’t jumping ship entirely. Security updates for Flash Player 11.2 will continue to be provided for five years following its release.
Peppered With Caveats

As all well and good as promoting the Pepper API is there is one glaring caveat: the only browser using it (at present) is Google Chrome.

Mozilla, the company behind Firefox, have to plans to add the technology to their own browser, and it’s unlikely to find favour with other, smaller browsers who lack the development resources to integrate the feature.

Although Pepper will ship in the Windows and OS X builds of Google Chrome Adobe will continue distributing new and improved versions of the Flash Player for those two platforms in the traditional way.

Adobe axed support for their Air runtime on Linux last summer.

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2012/02/a...lash-on-linux/

[bug67]

Re: Adobe Flash,

Die already!

[mips]

Re: Adobe Flash,

Die already!

Amen!

[Lars Noodén]

This is great news and will accelerate the use of the better technologies it has displaced. iPhone/iPad/iTouch's zero tolerance policy for Flash, because of their popularity, will also help drive adoption of better tools. This announcement could not have been too soon. Already much of Youtube is available in HTML5. Other sites are following suit.

[lovinglinux]

I don't even know what to say. Although I wish flash becomes obsolete, the reality is that I still depend on it, a lot.

I really dislike the idea of using Chrome, just to be able to use flash. Hopefully other browsers will implement Pepper API.

[Lucradia]

I don't even know what to say. Although I wish flash becomes obsolete, the reality is that I still depend on it, a lot.

I really dislike the idea of using Chrome, just to be able to use flash. Hopefully other browsers will implement Pepper API.

Chrome doesn't install with Flash by default in Linux, at least not 64-Bit Linux. (I installed it on ubuntu once, and I didn't have flash working.)

You could use poor alternatives like Gnash, or try to use only HTML5 on youtube. (But some users FORCE people to use flash to watch their YouTube videos.)

[lovinglinux]

Chrome doesn't install with Flash by default in Linux, at least not 64-Bit Linux. (I installed it on ubuntu once, and I didn't have flash working.)

I was referring to Chrome because flash will be implemented on Chrome using Pepper API. It is completely different from the current implementation, in which Google just distributes the shared object within Chrome directory.

Besides, new flash versions won't be available through the repositories anymore, except for minor versions updates.

You could use poor alternatives like Gnash, or try to use only HTML5 on youtube. (But some users FORCE people to use flash to watch their YouTube videos.)

Gnash isn't an alternative for me. Not yet. YouTube doesn't concern me. I develop FlashVideoReplacer, which allows to use gecko-mediaplayer when HTML 5 isn't available on YouTube. The real problem is that I use other video services that don't use HTML5 and problably won't use it in the near future.

[sffvba[e0rt]

I guess it is cool that I already use Chrome but in general that sucks


404

[speedwell68]

If Adobe are going to provide support for 11.2 for another 5 years then where is the problem? Surely by 2017 HTML would have long since replaced Flash.

[nrundy]

Hopefully other browsers will implement Pepper API.

Pepper API is as bad as Flash. It's backwards technology. Web browsers should be moving away from Plugins. Mozilla has the right idea to be pushing web standards.

Adobe is an evil company. Google partnering with them to push this Pepper is just two Dark Lords of the Sith getting together to push their evil agenda.