Why Is Adobe Flash On Linux Still Broken? 963
mwilliamson writes "As I sit reading my morning paper online I still cannot view the embedded videos due to auto-detection of my Flash player not working. One in every three or four YouTube videos crashes the browser. I remember sometime back reading that Adobe has a very small development team (possibly only one) working on the Linux port of Flash. It has occurred to me that Flash on Linux is the one major entry barrier controlling acceptance of Linux as a viable desktop operating system. No matter how stably, smoothly, efficiently, and correctly Linux runs on a machine, the public will continue to view it as second-rate if Flash keeps crashing. This is the worst example of being tied down and bound by a crappy 3rd-party product over which no Linux distribution has any control. GNASH is nice, but it just isn't there 100%. I really do have to suspect Adobe's motivation for keeping Flash on Linux in such a deplorable state."
Flash sucks (Score:4, Funny)
Adopt Silverlight!
Re:Open Source Flash? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:and on X64 it's even worse (Score:2, Funny)
Just install flashplugin-nonfree like in 32 bit. Also, if Flash hangs Firefox, kill npviewer.bin and continue browsing. I don't think you can do that in 32 bit.
Flash crashes your browser-- Serves you right (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Flash sucks (Score:5, Funny)
Indeed. Anything to get it away from its abusive parents.
Re:Open Source Flash? (Score:2, Funny)
LOL!
The 10 beta will get you this on a *lot* of sites that use flash:
------------
This domain.tld feature is optimized for Adobe Flash Player version 8 or higher.
You are currently using Flash Player 10
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The logic of flash development and deployment is actually making Microsoft software look solid.
Re:Flash (Score:5, Funny)
The internet isn't thriving, it is festering.
Re:Open Source Flash? (Score:3, Funny)
Not to be confused with the nice mature ones that start with "K".
What problems? (Score:5, Funny)
I am not a fan of Flash, however I have not seen any problems with Flash on Linux since they ended the enormous version lag that broken some sites when Windows hd flash 8 and Linux port stopped development at 7. Flash on Linux is a massive resource eater, has idiotic installation procedure, often has to be updated because of security bugs, however it has exactly the same problems on Windows. It is more crappy and unfixable than most Linux software, however this says more about the level of quality that is considered acceptable on Windows rather than about any deficiencies specific to a Linux port.
As for Youtube, why would a Linux user want to use their flash-based player? Install latest version of clive, mplayer and xclip, and run this script after selecting or copying Youtube URL:
#!/bin/sh
cd "$HOME"
cd Desktop 2>/dev/null
xterm -bg "#ffffff" -fg "#000000" -cr "#800000" -ah -fa "DejaVu Sans Mono" -fs 14 -g 80x6 -T "Video Download" \
-e sh -c \
'xclip -o | clive "--player=mplayer -fs %i" --play=src --mask=custom'
(assign it to some panel launcher or menu in your desktop environent).
Re:Flash sucks (Score:5, Funny)
(you may want to multitask whilst you're waiting. otherwise you just ruined *two* lives.)
Re:Open Source Flash? (Score:2, Funny)
If you gaze at the hex bytes in the swf file for long enough you can more or less see what's going on. I no longer see the hex I see moles that need to be whacked to win an ipod, Matrix style.
Re:Flash sucks (Score:4, Funny)
Wow I actually got marked as a troll? I guess things have changed in my 6 month Slashdot hiatus.
Yay Microsoft, I hope Silverlight catches on?
Re:Flash sucks (Score:2, Funny)
Of course as just as I post that Silverlight crashes Firefox.
Oh, the humanity.