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What is an alternative to Adobe Flash for videos on Mac El Capitan?

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  • Last reply by MJRJ

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This isn't exactly a problem to be fixed as of yet. But rather information research. I've read several viewer comments &/or articles from other sites about the ongoing security issues if one uses Adobe Flash. But when I play videos on websites or youtube videos, I have to activate the adobe flash player (an option I opted for in the add-ons). I keep it updated but am wondering if there is an alternative program that Firefox will support on my Mac using El Capitan. I'm not computer savvy enough to understand what it means that some favorite website have already shifted to HTML5 videos or alternative technologies (not exact quote). Are there any suggestions? Or am I not asking the right question?

This isn't exactly a problem to be fixed as of yet. But rather information research. I've read several viewer comments &/or articles from other sites about the ongoing security issues if one uses Adobe Flash. But when I play videos on websites or youtube videos, I have to activate the adobe flash player (an option I opted for in the add-ons). I keep it updated but am wondering if there is an alternative program that Firefox will support on my Mac using El Capitan. I'm not computer savvy enough to understand what it means that some favorite website have already shifted to HTML5 videos or alternative technologies (not exact quote). Are there any suggestions? Or am I not asking the right question?

Chosen solution

There probably is not a reliable alternative to the Flash plugin for playing Flash content at the moment.

YouTube should offer alternative formats if it detects support in your browser. Could you check the following page and see whether you get red boxes for MP4 (middle column)?

https://www.youtube.com/html5

If so, that could explain why YouTube is serving Flash instead.

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Chosen Solution

There probably is not a reliable alternative to the Flash plugin for playing Flash content at the moment.

YouTube should offer alternative formats if it detects support in your browser. Could you check the following page and see whether you get red boxes for MP4 (middle column)?

https://www.youtube.com/html5

If so, that could explain why YouTube is serving Flash instead.

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jscher2000 said

There probably is not a reliable alternative to the Flash plugin for playing Flash content at the moment. YouTube should offer alternative formats if it detects support in your browser. Could you check the following page and see whether you get red boxes for MP4 (middle column)? https://www.youtube.com/html5 If so, that could explain why YouTube is serving Flash instead.

I do not see MP4 - the only red exclamation mark is on MSE & WebM VP9. All the other items have a checkmark. At the end, it says "The HTML5 player is currently used when possible.". However, I checked my plug-ins & I don't see Adobe Flash. Instead it says I have Shockwave Flash. Is that the same ad Adobe Flash?

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Yes, Shockwave Flash is its formal name, dating back to when Flash was the new kid on the block and Shockwave was the coolest thing. Times have changed.

Given your results on the HTML5 test page, you shouldn't need to activate Flash on YouTube for most videos -- the plugin notification icon should not even appear -- but there might still be a few that are not available in a modern format for one reason or another.

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The Flash Player from Adobe can still be referred to old name of Shockwave Flash in some places.

There is also a Shockwave (for director) Player Plugin that has nothing to do with Flash.

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jscher2000 said

Yes, Shockwave Flash is its formal name, dating back to when Flash was the new kid on the block and Shockwave was the coolest thing. Times have changed. Given your results on the HTML5 test page, you shouldn't need to activate Flash on YouTube for most videos -- the plugin notification icon should not even appear -- but there might still be a few that are not available in a modern format for one reason or another.

I see. Well, I'll try to change the flash player to "never activate" & see what happens. A few videos I authorized the adobe flash as an "always" on so changing it to "never" on my add-ons will hopefully change it. Thank you for your help!