Alternatives to Adobe Flash Player

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Running W7 HP x64 SP1 on Dell desktop and Acer laptop.  Online with Firefox, DuckDuckGo, and Invidious.  Should we be replacing Adobe Flash for security reasons?  If yes, what is a good option for website animations and the occasional video clip?

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[Alex5723]

Slowpoke47 wrote:

Running W7 HP x64 SP1 on Dell desktop and Acer laptop.  Online with Firefox, DuckDuckGo, and Invidious.  Should we be replacing Adobe Flash for security reasons?  If yes, what is a good option for website animations and the occasional video clip?

Flash support will die next year. HTML5 replaced Flash.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by Alex5723.

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Slowpoke47

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Flash is being replaced by the open format HTML5 video element, with full support by all major browsers, so no plugin is required for HTML5 content playback: https://www.w3schools.com/html/html5_video.asp

Some websites still host Flash content, but eventually they will drop it in favor of the new open standard.

I find those sites that are lagging behind to be annoying, because you still need the Flash plugin to play the Flash content.

I do not install or enable the Flash plugin in any of my browsers, with the exception that Google Chrome comes with a Flash plugin pre-installed. If I run across a site that needs Flash to display properly, I then open it up in Chrome (not my default browser).

The advantage to that security-wise for me is that Chrome updates include the latest secure version of the Flash plugin. So I don’t have to remember to keep any standalone Flash plugins up to date with the latest security patches. I just let Chrome update automatically.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML5

“Thoughts on Flash”
While some features of HTML5 are often compared to Adobe Flash, the two technologies are very different. Both include features for playing audio and video within web pages, and for using Scalable Vector Graphics. However, HTML5 on its own cannot be used for animation or interactivity – it must be supplemented with CSS3 or JavaScript. There are many Flash capabilities that have no direct counterpart in HTML5 (see Comparison of HTML5 and Flash). HTML5’s interactive capabilities became a topic of mainstream media attention around April 2010 after Apple Inc.’s then-CEO Steve Jobs issued a public letter titled “Thoughts on Flash” in which he concluded that “Flash is no longer necessary to watch video or consume any kind of web content” and that “new open standards created in the mobile era, such as HTML5, will win”. This sparked a debate in web development circles suggesting that, while HTML5 provides enhanced functionality, developers must consider the varying browser support of the different parts of the standard as well as other functionality differences between HTML5 and Flash. In early November 2011, Adobe announced that it would discontinue development of Flash for mobile devices and reorient its efforts in developing tools using HTML5. On July 25, 2017, Adobe announced that both the distribution and support of Flash will cease by the end of 2020.

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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Slowpoke47

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Thanks to both for that info.  We still get Flash updates on a regular basis- the latest about three weeks ago- so I was not aware that it will be abandoned.  How should we go about replacing Flash functionality in our two PC’s?

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Hi Slowpoke, I’ll try not to assume your experience level and explain that most users encounter Flash while browsing the World Wide Web. All the answers you’ve read address that by suggesting Chrome or another browser equipped with the appropriate extension. And others have observed that the burden to adapt to new standards belongs to the sites that offer that content.

What may not be obvious is that if you have content locally on your own system then you may be worried you cannot run it. Maybe you created it yourself as a project while learning about Flash, or received a useful gadget from a trusted source long ago. The same solution might work. Consider the browser of your choice as a little container, a mini operating system, and see if you can ‘open with’ your browser to launch the doohickey. This is the same kind of workaround many use to read PDF pages in a browser, rather than use a standalone reader application.

I may have read more into your question than you meant, and I’m not entirely sure this would work in all cases. But I hope it is helpful.

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Slowpoke47, JohnW

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Slowpoke47 wrote:

Thanks to both for that info.  We still get Flash updates on a regular basis- the latest about three weeks ago- so I was not aware that it will be abandoned.  How should we go about replacing Flash functionality in our two PC’s?

You will not need to do anything to replace functionality if you are running the latest versions of your web browsers. The capability to display the newer HTML5 content is built into the browser.

As soon as the web developers for any given site switch over their code, the transition should be transparent to the end user.

Personally, I use Firefox as my default browser, and I uninstalled the Flash plugin for that a couple of years ago. Most mainstream sites seem to work fine with HTML5 only, but I occasionally run into a site that will not render until I use a Flash enabled browser.

 

 

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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Slowpoke47

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anonymous wrote:

Hi Slowpoke, I’ll try not to assume your experience level and explain that most users encounter Flash while browsing the World Wide Web. All the answers you’ve read address that by suggesting Chrome or another browser equipped with the appropriate extension. And others have observed that the burden to adapt to new standards belongs to the sites that offer that content.

What may not be obvious is that if you have content locally on your own system then you may be worried you cannot run it. Maybe you created it yourself as a project while learning about Flash, or received a useful gadget from a trusted source long ago. The same solution might work. Consider the browser of your choice as a little container, a mini operating system, and see if you can ‘open with’ your browser to launch the doohickey. This is the same kind of workaround many use to read PDF pages in a browser, rather than use a standalone reader application.

I may have read more into your question than you meant, and I’m not entirely sure this would work in all cases. But I hope it is helpful.

You raised a good point about offline content. That will be helpful to somebody. I had assumed from the OP’s post that the question related to website animations and video clips.

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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Slowpoke47

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Slowpoke47 wrote:

Online with Firefox

Firefox blocks flash content by default even when the flash plugin is installed. The flash plugin is also run in disabled mode by Firefox. It only activates and uses it when you want to run a website that has flash content. You can store your preferences on a site to site basis.

Mozilla says this about it:

Mozilla explains that once Flash has been disabled by default in Firefox, users will not be prompted to enable Flash, but they will be able to activate Flash on certain sites using browser settings.

The second final step for Flash on Firefox is due in 2020 and will see Flash support completely removed from consumer versions of Firefox. Flash will continue to be supported in the Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR) version until the end of 2020. In 2021 Firefox will “refuse to load the plugin”.

Some websites are creating there own Flash players to enable the use of Flash when support ends.

Flash still has a lot of use. Even my payslip is generated in flash.

W10&11 x64 Pro&Home

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Slowpoke47

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Sinclair wrote:

Slowpoke47 wrote:

Online with Firefox

Firefox blocks flash content by default even when the flash plugin is installed. The flash plugin is also run in disabled mode by Firefox. It only activates and uses it when you want to run a website that has flash content. You can store your preferences on a site to site basis.

Mozilla says this about it:

Mozilla explains that once Flash has been disabled by default in Firefox, users will not be prompted to enable Flash, but they will be able to activate Flash on certain sites using browser settings.

The second final step for Flash on Firefox is due in 2020 and will see Flash support completely removed from consumer versions of Firefox. Flash will continue to be supported in the Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR) version until the end of 2020. In 2021 Firefox will “refuse to load the plugin”.

Some websites are creating there own Flash players to enable the use of Flash when support ends.

Flash still has a lot of use. Even my payslip is generated in flash.

Since Flash is still a big potential security hole, unless you intend to update it on a regular basis, it would be best to completely disable it.

I would be worried about the integrity of any home grown Flash players. They are less likely to undergo the scrutiny of security experts that have identified a constant stream of vulnerabilities in the Adobe Flash player.

Maybe some security by obscurity, but still …

Flash needs to die. And anybody that still uses Flash for business processes needs to migrate now.

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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Slowpoke47

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A big thank you to all who responded to my question.  I am (obviously) a non-tech trying to navigate the web while avoiding the potholes of security breaches and the like.

As such, I appreciate the explanations in terms that I can understand.

JohnW wrote:

Since Flash is still a big potential security hole, unless you intend to update it on a regular basis, it would be best to completely disable it.

Current browser is Firefox v.69.  One of the sites we use daily is the National Weather Service site on which we are now asked at each visit to enable Flash.  Is it a risk to retain Flash for the moment while updating it when updates are offered?

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As you have “ask to run” set then you can safely use Flash for just that site, but it’s still worth updating as new patches turn up.

cheers, Paul

p.s. complain to the NWS.

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JohnW, Slowpoke47

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NWS should be OK, as I have never seen them host 3rd party content or ads.  And as was previously mentioned with “ask to run”, just keep Flash patched to the latest version.

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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Slowpoke47

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Slowpoke47 wrote:

A big thank you to all who responded to my question.  I am (obviously) a non-tech trying to navigate the web while avoiding the potholes of security breaches and the like.

As such, I appreciate the explanations in terms that I can understand.

JohnW wrote:

Since Flash is still a big potential security hole, unless you intend to update it on a regular basis, it would be best to completely disable it.

Current browser is Firefox v.69.  One of the sites we use daily is the National Weather Service site on which we are now asked at each visit to enable Flash.  Is it a risk to retain Flash for the moment while updating it when updates are offered?

Just out of curiosity, what page at the NWS site is asking for Flash? I visit that site regularly without Flash and have never had any issues with pages rendering correctly.

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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JohnW wrote:

Just out of curiosity, what page at the NWS site is asking for Flash? I visit that site regularly without Flash and have never had any issues with pages rendering correctly.

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/radar.php?product=NCR&rid=box&loop=yes

This is the animated radar- previously used this for years on Firefox (and previously Chrome) without having to activate Flash each time.  I think this new step has been added since updating FF to ver. 69.

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Slowpoke47 wrote:

JohnW wrote:

Just out of curiosity, what page at the NWS site is asking for Flash? I visit that site regularly without Flash and have never had any issues with pages rendering correctly.

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/radar.php?product=NCR&rid=box&loop=yes

This is the animated radar- previously used this for years on Firefox (and previously Chrome) without having to activate Flash each time.  I think this new step has been added since updating FF to ver. 69.

Ah! I see now.

If I go to that animated radar page using a browser with the Flash plugin uninstalled, it defaults to HTML5 and runs ok.

But if I use a browser with Flash installed, but disabled, the site will detect the presence of the Flash plugin and request that it be enabled.

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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wavy, Slowpoke47

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JohnW wrote:

If I go to that animated radar page using a browser with the Flash plugin uninstalled, it defaults to HTML5 and runs ok. But if I use a browser with Flash installed, but disabled, the site will detect the presence of the Flash plugin and request that it be enabled.

This is the only site we use asking for Flash- is there a reason not to remove this app?

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my new year’s resolution for 2020: uninstalling Adobe Flash on all my PCs including those running Win7 (except for those running win8.1 & win10 that get flash patches from MS)

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JohnW

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Slowpoke47 wrote:

JohnW wrote:

If I go to that animated radar page using a browser with the Flash plugin uninstalled, it defaults to HTML5 and runs ok. But if I use a browser with Flash installed, but disabled, the site will detect the presence of the Flash plugin and request that it be enabled.

This is the only site we use asking for Flash- is there a reason not to remove this app?

Up to you!

I removed it here, and no pain yet!

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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Slowpoke47

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Paul T wrote:

p.s. complain to the NWS.

Just had a response from NWS- they’re working on a major site upgrade to be up and running next spring.  The answer to my inquiry was pretty quick, too!

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JohnW

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I haven’t used Adobe Flash since Windows 2k/ XP circa 2004 (only needed it at work) and never missed it nor needed it at home.

There were more holes in that PoS than a tea bag/ rant

The only alternative I came across a few years back was for linux (pepper-flash), don’t even think that is now an option.

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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JohnW, Slowpoke47

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I stopped pushing flash in AD to Windows 7 users last month and uninstalled from those systems. I’ve only received 2 calls from users after doing so. The 2 calls were for one web site…..one of the bank sites our company uses.

I’ve complained about this before. It seems the only sites that require the use of flash and java are the ones that should have the highest level of security to begin with. Corporate bank sites, online trading programs, etc.

Red Ruffnsore

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JohnW

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OP here- with Flash uninstalled, the NWS site shows a more rudimentary, although animated, radar trace- a less useful view.  I guess I’ll reinstall Flash and use the “conscientious update” strategy.

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Interesting, I just tried the site with Palemoon and Flash set to ‘ask’ and it did ask but with it set to disabled it just loaded presumably with HTML5 !

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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I’m more a user than a techy. So, if this next part is off-base please forgive my ignorance. That said, my concern is Adobe Flash being dropped altogether. I happen to have a paid version of Adobe Acrobat where videos can be embedded/uploaded to the pdf. This requires Adobe Flash for viewing/playing. Since Chrome and the rest of the browsers are migrating to HTML5 and dropping Adobe Flash I’m left with downloading a copy just to view embeds on pdfs, and not being a business with money motives for Adobe haven’t been able to get an answer from their customer service side about this change up.

Has anyone on the Lounge gotten an answer?

Thanks for your patience…..Missey J

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