Chrome only future for Flash on Linux

By +Frank B.
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Grand Master

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Chrome only future for Flash on Linux

Adobe has announced that in future, the Flash Player for Linux will only be available through Google as part of the Google Chrome browser and not as a standalone download. The shipped plugin will also only support Chrome's plugin API. The changes will take effect after the release of Flash Player 11.2 later this year.

In a blog posting, Adobe said it had been working with Google on developing a replacement for the Netscape plug-in API that Flash Player currently uses, called PPAPI or Pepper. Pepper is designed to be a single modern API for plugins within the browser with an effective abstraction layer hiding the different types of browser and API.

Adobe has worked with Google on this as Flash Player is one of the more complex plug-ins available and the partnership is leading to Google providing a "Pepper" API-based Flash Player with Google Chrome on all x86 32- and 64-bit platforms, including Linux, later this year. Google already embeds its own Flash Player in the Chrome browser and works closely with Adobe to ensure it receives security updates for Chrome's Flash at the same time.

Adobe has therefore also announced that after the release of Flash Player 11.2, the Flash Player browser plug-in for Linux will only be available with the "Pepper" API and only as part of the Google Chrome distribution. It will discontinue the availability of direct downloads of the Flash Player for Linux, but says it will continue to provide security updates for the non-Pepper versions of Flash Player 11.2 for Linux for five years after its release. The move only affects Linux platforms; Adobe will continue to support non-"Pepper" plugin APIs on all other platforms.

It would appear that this change would freeze Mozilla Firefox's Flash support on Linux at Flash Player 11.2. Mozilla has previously said it is "not interested in or working on Pepper at this time".

Source: The H Open Source

Link: Adobe Blog posting

Grand Master

Vice

Posted
Posted

I like that Adobe is basically killing flash on their own so the rest of the world doesn't need to.

First they drop it on mobile now they are dropping linux. Looks like they are not focusing on growing Flash adoption but instead just focusing on Windows and OS X. I wouldn't be surprised if their next announcement in 6 months from now would be the dropping of Flash support on OS X to only the Chrome browser and then eventually putting the Windows version on EOL notice with mere security updates.

Adobes shift away from Flash is great in my opinion. I'm sure when some developers like Boz see this they will say Linux doesn't matter anyway or that Chromes growing market share makes this loss no big deal.

Grand Master

.Neo

Posted
Posted

In all honesty

Looks like they are not focusing on growing Flash adoption but instead just focusing on Windows and OS X.

In all honestly the Linux desktop market share isn't really going anywhere so Adobe probably doesn't loose much by dropping it.

Grand Master

Vice

Posted
Posted

In all honesty

In all honestly the Linux desktop market share isn't really going anywhere so Adobe probably doesn't loose much by dropping it.

Did you read my whole post though? If this was a company that wanted Flash to be a word in everyone's vocabulary they would continue to support Linux. A platform that has more users now than it has ever had period. If it made sense for them to support it years ago that decision should be even more valid today.

And when this decision is weighed with the decision they made last year to completely pull Flash from the mobile space, dropping android support (Which is Linux and has 100's of millions of users) it kind of shows a pattern that they are giving up on Flash.

All of what I'm talking about is Flash in the browser. I'm not talking about their Adobe Air or what-not.

Mentor

monkey13

Posted
Posted

I was thinking the other day if they are killing it before it is killed? Won't HTML5 kill it anyway?

It is going to have to be supported as default by all the browsers.

I just can't see where else they could possibly be going with this. No mobile version? When that is the fastest growing platform in the market. Seems like madness to me.

Community Regular

Breakthrough

Posted
Posted
says it will continue to provide security updates for the non-Pepper versions of Flash Player 11.2 for Linux for five years after its release. The move only affects Linux platforms; Adobe will continue to support non-"Pepper" plugin APIs on all other platforms.

Well that's just non-sensical... They're adopting a particular API for a particular browser in an open-source environment?

/me waits for NonAdobeFlashLite

Grand Master

.Neo

Posted
Posted

Did you read my whole post though? If this was a company that wanted Flash to be a word in everyone's vocabulary they would continue to support Linux. A platform that has more users now than it has ever had period. If it made sense for them to support it years ago that decision should be even more valid today.

Adobe is still a commercial company and if it turns out that the resources put into keeping Flash on Linux alive isn't worth its while it will get axed. That's what I think happened here.

Well I hope they start ****ing including it with 64 bit chrome then... Currently ONLY the 32 bit version of chrome on linux includes flash.

I can run Safari in 64-bit while using 32-bit plugins. Why won't other browsers go the same route?

Grand Master

Glassed Silver

Posted
Posted

There's already talk of the API being added to Firefox so this shouldn't be an issue. Plus HTML5 is improving (so I hear).

Good to know I can play all my favorite games on Miniclip without Flash.

Oh wait :p

Glassed Silver:mac

Grand Master

c3ntury

Posted
Posted

I like that Adobe is basically killing flash on their own so the rest of the world doesn't need to.

Saves us the trouble anyway.

But I'm genuinely surprised at this news though, and it looks like Flash on Linux is now completely dependent on Google's viewpoint on the matter.

Grand Master

Syanide

Posted
Posted

Don't care. I figure by the time they drop it everything I use via Flash (I had to think really hard about this and nothing but video sites pops up) will either be HTML5 or will continue to work with current Flash anyway (I doubt anyone in a couple of years will use it as a development platform of choice).

Grand Master

Glassed Silver

Posted
Posted

Ouch, without Chrome, Desktop Linux won't have a media supporting browser.

Then again, Linux is not a media OS. Boot into Windows if you want to enjoy movies.

Linux is not a media OS

is not a media OS

not a media OS

not media OS

:|

Glassed Silver:mac

Mentor

ArialBlue

Posted
Posted

You're doing something wrong if you're watching your movies through Flash.

Well if "doing something wrong" involves achieving flawless HD video playback on a single core CPU using Adobe Flash, then yes.

Also if "doing something wrong" involves using Windows, then also yes.

Adobe Flash has evolved immensely since 10.0, essentially any problems with Adobe Flash can trace back to You doing it wrong. :)

Linux is not a media OS

is not a media OS

not a media OS

not media OS

:|

Glassed Silver:mac

Prove me wrong.

The only exception is Smart phones, but then they support h.264 and MP3s so there is no problem dropping Flash Support.

Grand Master

The_Decryptor Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

There's already talk of the API being added to Firefox so this shouldn't be an issue. Plus HTML5 is improving (so I hear).

If the API is added to Firefox, it won't be by Mozilla's doing. Mozilla and Apple (apparently) are going another route (Why create a new cross platform API, when the browser already includes that stuff)

Even then, it's not that much of a loss. Flash is pretty crappy on Linux (and OS X as well).

Explorer

lukeslife

Posted
Posted

Well if "doing something wrong" involves achieving flawless HD video playback on a single core CPU using Adobe Flash, then yes.

Also if "doing something wrong" involves using Windows, then also yes.

Adobe Flash has evolved immensely since 10.0, essentially any problems with Adobe Flash can trace back to You doing it wrong. :)

Prove me wrong.

The only exception is Smart phones, but then they support h.264 and MP3s so there is no problem dropping Flash Support.

Are you talking about web browsers or actual Operating systems because i think you are getting confused. Linux is a very good Media system os if you look for the right distro. And what do you mean by smart phones support h.264 and mp3. These formats have practically nothing to do with flash.

Grand Master

ichi

Posted
Posted

Quit bitching, you know very well he's referring to video websites such as YouTube. Flash is still the best and most universal way of delivering video content through a browser.

You don't need flash to watch Youtube videos. Actually you don't even need a browser to watch Youtube videos.

I use Minitube, and Musictube if I feel like creating playlists grooveshark-style. You just search for some band and it groups all the songs by album, with cover art, lyrics and everything, and let's you choose between studio and live recordings. Quite cool.

pantallazodel2012022401.png

None of those programs use flash, they go straight for the video stream.

The only exception is Smart phones, but then they support h.264 and MP3s so there is no problem dropping Flash Support.

I'm not sure what you mean to say there, Linux also supports h.264 and mp3 :huh:

Mentor

ArialBlue

Posted
Posted

I'm not sure what you mean to say there, Linux also supports h.264 and mp3 :huh:

We are talking about browsers here. If not using Chrome and Flash, how will you be able to enjoy embedded music and movies on the web?

Grand Master

.Neo

Posted
Posted

Well if "doing something wrong" involves achieving flawless HD video playback on a single core CPU using Adobe Flash, then yes.

Also if "doing something wrong" involves using Windows, then also yes.

Way to miss the point. (Y)

Adobe Flash has evolved immensely since 10.0, essentially any problems with Adobe Flash can trace back to You doing it wrong. :)

What you're saying right there makes no sense whatsoever. There's nothing someone can do wrong.

  • Glassed Silver
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Grand Master

Glassed Silver

Posted
Posted

We are talking about browsers here. If not using Chrome and Flash, how will you be able to enjoy embedded music and movies on the web?

No, we were talking about how Linux is not supposed to be a media OS according to you.

And instead of me proving you wrong, how about you go ahead and prove me you're right, cause it's you making crazy statements.

Does Linux run ANY media application out there? No.

Is that a requirement to be a good media OS? No.

Glassed Silver:mac

PS: But to answer your question, old Flash versions don't die magically, they still work and as people tend to go HTML5 the significance of Flash "latest main version/minus one" being installed on your system lowers drastically.

PPS: @.Neo: Well said. Flash is still a bloody mess and definitely far from being a sound platform!

Mentor

ArialBlue

Posted
Posted (edited)

No, we were talking about how Linux is not supposed to be a media OS according to you.

And instead of me proving you wrong, how about you go ahead and prove me you're right, cause it's you making crazy statements.

Does Linux run ANY media application out there? No.

Is that a requirement to be a good media OS? No.

I think you are missing my point completely.

Adobe Flash is a media plug-in that plays a variety of media formats and games - without Adobe Flash, you are left with a less functional browser.

This is not much of an issue for a couple of reasons (1) almost no one uses Linux (2) even less people use Linux for entertainment.

Exception to this is mobile Linux OS which are built with media in mind (more optimized for media and can take full advantage of the hardware's media capabilities), but then again they are not relevant to this topic.

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