Browsers and Flash

Flash can only be seen in browsers when the plugin is installed. It is often not behaving like is described in the specs of either of the components. Corporations would have you believe that they are working towards plugin-free browsers in developing HTML5. This of course is quite ludicrous. Many programs have the functionality that allows the installation of plugins that enrich the programs' functionality that in some cases raise their level of usability to heights that manufacturers and / or users had never dreamed of. Sadly many creators of plugins put malware in the code, which has become more of a standard than not in these times in which programmers aren't bothered by becoming a nuisance to the unassuming.

Before Flash watching animations and video on the web was impossible for most, a pain in the butt to many or required a lot of tinkering by smarties who were forced to search for proper codecs until they looked blue in the face, since there are at least as many codecs as there are less gifted software division managers who are appointed to determine what is good for users, without having the burden of knowledge concerning  solutions that allow to offer moving visuals.

After the introduction of Flash the situation gradually improved to an acceptable level, then to a good one and even excellent in some cases. The huge success of Youtube and related sites are examples of the appreciation of Flash by the internet community, both on the consumer and developer side.

Then some bearded dude who owned a hardware / software company comes along and says Flash causes his operating system to crash. He is one of the most obsessed control freaks known in the history of mankind who is nevertheless humbly worshiped by a huge following that does not mind being under total control of the supplier of their high priced computer gear, smartphones, tablets and other gadgetry with reduced functionality compared to desktop- and laptop computers.

Whenever the guru spoke, his carefully constructed mythical status caused his following to fall in a long lingering, non-criticizing, venerated awe, regardless if what he said was crap or not. That came in rather handy when he was unable to find a solution that would stop his OS from crashing when its users used Flash. So he decided to send a message to the world, saying: 'Flash is banned, it is dangerous and HTML5 is the future of the web anyway.' Once again his submissive cult-members dropped to their knees and pressed their foreheads in the dirt, struck by his supposed mindboggling wisdom.

On other platforms however, Flash is doing reasonably well. It allows sites to have functionality that is absent in sites that contain no Flash apart from having a visual appeal that the Flashless do not have. So, in spite of the guru's tainted point of view, Flash will be around for some time, even when the manufacturer of a competing OS seems to do all within its power to chase away users by releasing a new version of its operating system that makes sense only to the elite circle of marketeers working for that company.

Maddy

Oh and flooding users with adds is a lot easier when the code is part of the browser language, which makes it a lot more difficult to get rid of them. On average adds make loading websites 30% slower, which qualifies for barefacedly imposing an unsolicited pain in the ass, but hey, corporations work really hard to shaft customers that do not have the means to protect their anal cavity from institutionally shoved bunk. But weirdly enough a lovely Linux programmer - shown in the image above this paragraph - created software that protects Windows sufferers from the deluge of adds hammered down their throats; her program is called: 'Oh Frick Go Back', that has the potential to become a nightmare for the intrusive commercial industry. So, you may want to give it a try. I did and found out that Maddy's code works really well, while offering the opportunity to select a number of options. Thanks for that gorgeous.

Have a nice day!