Accepting Flash Player update

[abtygwyn]

Several sites I use request a flash player update, but I'm reluctant to do this as it will potentially mess up the existing system.
The typical message I get is "To view this content you need to install or upgrade Adobe Flash Player"

If a site like Channel 4 requires flash player update for it to play the video, is there a way round this which doesn't involve replacing the existing lib.so file? I'm assuming that the existing player is safer and avoids the security problems the std android flash player currently has?

Any ideas how best to proceed?

[Cosmo.]

I'm assuming that the existing player is safer and avoids the security problems the std android flash player currently has?

Your assumption is wrong. What do you mean with android flash player? What has this to do with Mint?

[abtygwyn]

Sorry, mistake by me, the word 'android' should not be there. (I sometimes get other issues using flash in my android) This is using the standard firefox browser within LMDE 2. Channel 4 requests me to update the flash plugin and that's what I need guidance on. Is it possible to play channel 4 videos without updating/upgrading the Adobe Flash player.

As an example, I can't play the following link http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the- ... /59421-024

For your info: The adobe site says "You have version 11,2,202,621 installed"

Video playback may be restricted if your outside the UK but I'm not! If there's a work-a-round I would love to know.

Thanks

[kevinthefixer]

Sorry, mistake by me, the word 'android' should not be there. (I sometimes get other issues using flash in my android) This is using the standard firefox browser within LMDE 2. Channel 4 requests me to update the flash plugin and that's what I need guidance on. Is it possible to play channel 4 videos without updating/upgrading the Adobe Flash player.

As an example, I can't play the following link http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the- ... /59421-024

For your info: The adobe site says "You have version 11,2,202,621 installed"

Video playback may be restricted if your outside the UK but I'm not! If there's a work-a-round I would love to know.

Thanks

I'm foggy on the nut-and-bolt details as I don't use Firefox, but try switching useragents to show that you have a Mac. That should convince the website to send HTML5 content instead of the obsolete Flash. And e-mail the webmasters in question to encourage them to stop using Flash altogether, it's been years now since they should have done that.

Another workaround is to use Chromium with Pepperflash plugin.

[Fred Barclay]

I'm foggy on the nut-and-bolt details as I don't use Firefox, but try switching useragents to show that you have a Mac. That should convince the website to send HTML5 content instead of the obsolete Flash. And e-mail the webmasters in question to encourage them to stop using Flash altogether, it's been years now since they should have done that.

Another workaround is to use Chromium with Pepperflash plugin.

That's a good idea. But for your second suggestion, I thought only Chrome came with pepperflash (assuming no hackish workarounds)?

[kevinthefixer]

I'm foggy on the nut-and-bolt details as I don't use Firefox, but try switching useragents to show that you have a Mac. That should convince the website to send HTML5 content instead of the obsolete Flash. And e-mail the webmasters in question to encourage them to stop using Flash altogether, it's been years now since they should have done that.

Another workaround is to use Chromium with Pepperflash plugin.

That's a good idea. But for your second suggestion, I thought only Chrome came with pepperflash (assuming no hackish workarounds)?

I wish I could take credit for the idea. Even more, I wish my memory was good enough to remember who I should give credit to. Maybe it used to be, but I really can't remember.

As far as pepperflash goes, yes it comes with Chrome, but if you use Chromium and install pepperflash-plugin-nonfree, the installer downloads Chrome, extracts the pepperflash plugin, and makes it available for Chromium. Credit that one to @Pjotr.

[Cosmo.]

try switching useragents to show that you have a Mac. That should convince the website to send HTML5 content instead of the obsolete Flash.

Provided that the site supports html5, changing the user agent is not necessary (and probably not helping). All you have to do is disable the flash plugin in FF completely and restart FF. FF will now use HTML5 if supported. Note, that setting the plugin to ask is not enough.

[kevinthefixer]

Good to know that will work in Firefox. It doesn't in Seamonkey (another Mozilla project), I can say that with confidence because that's what I use daily, with Flash disabled. I just get a blank box with a notification to enable Flash to view the content. So far I've survived without having to do that. I wonder if we could convince all legitimate sites to switch to HTML5 while leaving all the advertisements in Flash? It's quite nice not having those animated ads, even if they are off to the side of the screen.

[abtygwyn]

try switching useragents to show that you have a Mac. That should convince the website to send HTML5 content instead of the obsolete Flash.

Provided that the site supports html5, changing the user agent is not necessary (and probably not helping). All you have to do is disable the flash plugin in FF completely and restart FF. FF will now use HTML5 if supported. Note, that setting the plugin to ask is not enough.

I seem to be having problems with totally disabling Flash. The BBC iplayer site which I'm fairly sure can use HTML5 is still asking for me to update or load the Flash player. Apart from plugins and extensions, is there anywhere else I need to address this instruction to disable Flash?

[Cosmo.]

I cannot say anything about the BBC site, but if they should support html5 it does not make sense, if they ask you to update flash.

If you disable the flash plugin in firefox completely (setting it to always ask is not sufficient) and restart firefox afterwards, the browser behaves, as if no flash would be installed. There does not exist any setting you need to change.

[abtygwyn]

I cannot say anything about the BBC site, but if they should support html5 it does not make sense, if they ask you to update flash.

If you disable the flash plugin in firefox completely (setting it to always ask is not sufficient) and restart firefox afterwards, the browser behaves, as if no flash would be installed. There does not exist any setting you need to change.

I'm afraid the situation you reference is exactly what the BBC do. Some of their content will play with a beta HTML5 player and other requires Flash. It's a real pain to deal with. I would prefer to do one of the other but having to do both is where the problems lie.

[Cosmo.]

In this case using a second browser is most likely the most likely the easiest solution.