[ot] this web site wants to install the flash plug in

[Fred]

Hi,

Sorry for an off topic post but with so many IT people here, please may I ask:

Following an upgrade, I'm in the slow process of installing all my software on a new machine. Pretty much every web site I visit announces that it wants to install the flash plug in and when I click "no", the web site loads perfectly without it.

If it works without flash, why did it bother asking for it in the first place? Or are there two versions of the web site and it loads the flash or no-flash one depending what you click? If that is the case and they can work without flash, why bother making one with flash? Or am I missing something?

TIA

[TMC]

I wonder however if it is working as intended by the designer?

[The Natural Philosopher]

SOME versions of windows , browser and flas give that message when the plugin is in fact correctly installed and up to date.

You may well have flash already.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Do you think most web designers have intentions?

[Andrew Gabriel]

I run the Flashblock Firefox plugin, so flash doesn't automatically start. If you want to run the flash, you click on it. You can configure it to automatically run on certain sites if you want (there is the odd flash-only site where that's necessary).

[djc]

Often the flash is for the advertising. So you are better of without it. There are a few sites that are stupid enough to be entirely flash. Very irritating and usually a sign that you will be better of going elsewhere.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Like most car manufacturers..

There is also a trend to put copyright images in flash, in the vain assumption that anyone who REALLY wants it wont simply do a screen capture and edit, rather than right click and 'save image'

[Ro]

Try here:

will let you know if flash is installed. Step 2 lists your currently installed version and then, in step 3, it displays the latest version available for your OS. Flash is used for animation, video and to make the web site/page more interactive, unless you have an iOS device.

[djc]

True, though I don't visit those often. (1994 Twingo has just failed MOT so that may not be true for the next few weeks) Restaurants and hotels are the worst I encounter. Example (nice places shame about the website)

[polygonum]

Well quite a few of us install Flashblock (under Firefox) - which makes quite a difference.

I rarely use Flash - except where it really is needed.

[The Natural Philosopher]

have 'beta' in its name.

And actually runs all my favourite sites

[The Natural Philosopher]

well they are OK if all they have to offer as businesses is 'a user experience' blah blah.

[The Natural Philosopher]

that does block the CPU grabbing adverts, true.

Well why would you use it at all if it wasn't needed?

You tube, watching motor racing, iplayer..all useful s**te.

[Steve Walker]

Yes. I am a contractor and work for months at a time in clients' offices and I find lunchtime very handy to get my own paperwork in order. My (soon to be ex) accountants have a website to allow hours worked, invoicing, letters, tax details etc. to be dealt with. It used to work fine, then they altered the site :( The default version requires flash (which I could not install or have installed on my client's machines and the fall-back, non-flash version required later versions of Internet Explorer, which could not be installed as they were not approved for use on the "government approved", secure network.

SteveW

[hugh]

So you are stealing your clients electricity eh?