Macromedia Flash Popup is annoying

[Boffin]

I'm not enjoying this forum. Everytime I click on a link I get 2 prompts to install Macromedia Flash 8 player. I don't want to as it messes up my system. This is getting annoying pressing No for 500 times browsing the forum. I don't get this on other forums, why this one? Do I just have to forget this forum or is there a way around this?

 

[-Job-]

As a flash programmer i wish you would install the flash player, it's really cool and can make your web experience that much more pleasant. Of course if it messes up your system you don't have a choice, but how does it mess up your system?
If you don't want to be prompted for the install, in Internet Explorer, you can go to tools -> internet options -> advanced, uncheck the boxes "install on demand (internet explorer)" and "install on demand (other)".
You probably have some earlier flash player version installed (probably 6, that was the most popular i think). The other websites don't ask you probably because their flash movies have been exported under version 6 or earlier.
I can see from the html that the version of flash used here is 7. I think, because the flash movies in this site are not Actionscript heavy and are mostly just graphics they should be compiled as the earliest allowed version (they can very likely be exported under version 5 with actionscript 1.0 without loss of functionality) which will make them more available to everyone.

 

[z-component]

Is there a way to disable just the Flash IE plugin without disabling all plugins?

 

[-Job-]

Yes, if you have the latest Service Pack for windows XP, then in IE under tools -> manage add-ons, you can select the shockwave flash object and disable it. Or are you referring to an alternative way of preventing the popup that doesn't prevent popups from other objects? In that case i don't know, the best solution would be to just install the flash player, you will eventually need it. You can go to tools -> internet options, on the security tab select custom level and then play around with the security settings, this would be an alternative way to "disabling" install on demand, but it will affect all types of plugins, not just flash. There may be a way to restrict plugins based on publisher. Maybe you can add www.macromedia.com as a restricted site since the plugin's install on demand comes from there, then set the security settings on your restricted sites list to prevent the popup.

 

[jtbell]

I wasn't even aware that this site uses Flash, because I had already installed the plugin. Nevertheless, I sympathize with Ben, and I think some accommodation should be provided for people like him who refuse to use Flash or other plugins. Perhaps Greg could create another "skin" for this forum that doesn't use Flash anywhere, except perhaps on pages that provide special features.

My own personal opinion is that sites should not make Flash (or any other non-HTML technology such as Java or Javascript) mandatory unless it provides functionality that is essential for the effective use of the site. I don't think an animated logo and navigation bar fall into that category.

 

[Boffin]

I tried everything Job suggested to disable the Macromedia popup, or even disable the Flash Player, nothing I tried worked, so I gave up and installed Flash v8. It probablly has messed up my system somewhere.

My computer, Windows 2000 SP4, and many programs are 1991 and already my registry has been so overwritten with new dlls that many things don't work anymore or are limping along. That is why I like to delay installing new programs, especially viewing programs, they are the worst.

I once installed a TIFF viewer to access patent files on the US Patent Office site and it messed up my system so bad I had to spend 2 wks reinstalling all the programs on my computer.

Another reason I did not want to install the latest Flash is that I thought not doing so would disable the Flash. I see the Flash was still running though, so that did not work anyway.

Why do I dislike Flash and other animated programs on web sites? Because it is my belief (am I wrong) that they greatly slow down my surfing experience. I use a DSL line, am close to the repeater, but many times websites with lots of graphics load so slowly that my system aborts them. I check my line speed and it is fine. I believe that the hosting computer is getting bogged down spitting out all the graphics.

Also websites with Flash entry pages take so long to get to the point, it's a total waste of time. They don't improve my viewing experience, rather they just make me frustrated. I like nice looking graphics on webpages but the Flash experience is generally too slow. It's like having to listen to 3 minutes of explanation with voice mail everytime you call someone. I think animation should be displayed only when desired, such as when clicking on an animation link.

Fancy Flash websites might be a good idea if hosting computers, DSL lines, and computers all ran properly, but they don't in my experience.

 

[Evo]

Why do I dislike Flash and other animated programs on web sites? Because it is my belief (am I wrong) that they greatly slow down my surfing experience. I use a DSL line, am close to the repeater, but many times websites with lots of graphics load so slowly that my system aborts them. I check my line speed and it is fine.

You have a problem somewhere, you shouldn't be experiencing difficulties. Even on dialup I don't have trouble.

Also websites with Flash entry pages take so long to get to the point, it's a total waste of time.

Most sites that have flash intros give you the option to skip the intro. Look for the option.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

It probablly has messed up my system somewhere.

I understand you've prolly been burned in the past, but it's unheathly to be so paranoid

My computer, Windows 2000 SP4, and many programs are 1991 and already my registry has been so overwritten with new dlls that many things don't work anymore or are limping along.

Maybe time to reinstall a clean windows? Or maybe try http://www.acelogix.com/ to clean your machine. Don't blame flash for problems with your operating system

Why do I dislike Flash and other animated programs on web sites? Because it is my belief (am I wrong) that they greatly slow down my surfing experience. I use a DSL line, am close to the repeater, but many times websites with lots of graphics load so slowly that my system aborts them. I check my line speed and it is fine. I believe that the hosting computer is getting bogged down spitting out all the graphics.
Also websites with Flash entry pages take so long to get to the point, it's a total waste of time. They don't improve my viewing experience, rather they just make me frustrated. I like nice looking graphics on webpages but the Flash experience is generally too slow. It's like having to listen to 3 minutes of explanation with voice mail everytime you call someone. I think animation should be displayed only when desired, such as when clicking on an animation link.

Flash actually is an extremely compressed media format and great for displaying vector graphics. If created correctly flash will actually load faster than any static graphic equivalent. It's not flashes fault the designers create graphic monstrosoties with flash. I agree with your opinion on full flash websites and intro screens, I don't like them either. You won't have to worry about either on PF. So I think your problems are with flash designers and the computer you're using, not flash as a technology.

 

[mattmns]

You can also consider using firefox, there may be ways to do this with other browsers, and download one of the extensions that blocks out flash; for example, the adblock extension. Personally I see no flash at all on physicsforums, unless I want to.

www.mozilla.com -- To download firefox

 

[jtbell]

Thanks for the tip, Matt. I've just now installed the Flashblock extension and sure enough, the logo at the top of the page has been replaced with a button that I can click if I want to see it again.

Actually, that particular example of Flash never bothered me, because it's small enough to load quickly over my dialup connection. But this will come in handy with other sites!

 

[Boffin]

Thanks Greg and others for the information. I agree the Flash on this site does not seem to bog my system down. I might go with the Flash Blocker like PopUpCop in the future for other sites. Time to view some threads on this site.

 

[motai]

Why do I dislike Flash and other animated programs on web sites? Because it is my belief (am I wrong) that they greatly slow down my surfing experience. I use a DSL line, am close to the repeater, but many times websites with lots of graphics load so slowly that my system aborts them. I check my line speed and it is fine. I believe that the hosting computer is getting bogged down spitting out all the graphics.

Adding on to Greg's post, I have seen a few flash sites that really eat up bandwidth. Most of the time though, most flash sites will not cause too much of a problem. Although there was this one art site that took roughly ~5 minutes to load (it was impressive though).