Hi Everyone: Since becoming a member several years ago I have read repeatedly that we don't need and shouldn't even have Adobe Flash or Reader and that it's better to just delete it and use something else. Problem is I don't know what the other something else is. I just went to the Jib Jab site to make a video xmas card and again it said I needed to install the latest flash from Adobe. Also awhile back I needed to print out something from the passport site and it again said I need adobe reader. What does one do or use to to get around needing Adobe? I usually use Safari and on occasion Firefox as my browsers. Next question of course is how to get rid off all of it if it already on the mac? iMac 2015 El Capitan 3.1 Core i5 16 GB Thanks Donna
Adobe or no Adobe?
- Thread starter DonnaH
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DaveWT
Well-Known Member
Adobe Flash is the tougher of the two to deal with. It is definitely on its way out (but not fast enough it seems.) I believe Sierra by default tries to avoid offering Flash and will use HTML5 instead if a site offers it and only if it doesn't have that, will it then give you the chance to use Flash. Some web sites still require Flash unfortunately and some people keep another browser that supports Flash around to use just when you encounter the need.
Adobe Reader on the other hand is much simpler. For most people there is absolutely no need to use it. Apple's own Preview which had come included in OS X and now MacOS, will handle just about anything that most people need to do.
Just my opinion but I haven't ever installed Adobe Reader on this 2011 iMac and probably not on my previous 2006 iMac - that's over 10 years Adobe Reader free.
Adobe Reader on the other hand is much simpler. For most people there is absolutely no need to use it. Apple's own Preview which had come included in OS X and now MacOS, will handle just about anything that most people need to do.
Just my opinion but I haven't ever installed Adobe Reader on this 2011 iMac and probably not on my previous 2006 iMac - that's over 10 years Adobe Reader free.
chas_m
Well-Known Member
For a site like Jib Jab that depends on Flash to exist, there's no real option other than to update to the latest Flash. This is best done from the Flash system preference pane in your System Preferences if you have previously installed Flash on your Mac before or you can go to Adobe's website (don't get it anywhere else) and update from there.
richardsonjim
Member
Can you just switch to Chrome temporarily for those sites that use Flash? I thought that Chrome has flash "built in" but I could be mistaken.
And while I am on the topic of Chrome vs. Safari, what advantages does Safari jhave over Chrome? I am not aware of any. I heard that Chrome was faster but I have no evidence for this. I stick with Safari because all my useful bookmarks are in Safari and importing hem to Chrome results in them being in a separate folder that is tedious to use.
Jim
And while I am on the topic of Chrome vs. Safari, what advantages does Safari jhave over Chrome? I am not aware of any. I heard that Chrome was faster but I have no evidence for this. I stick with Safari because all my useful bookmarks are in Safari and importing hem to Chrome results in them being in a separate folder that is tedious to use.
Jim
chas_m
Well-Known Member
On the subject of Chrome: I don't find it any better or worse than any other browser, really, though it is a bit more "data-miney" (since it comes from Google) than say Firefox and definitely more so than Safari. All modern browsers are, spec sheets aside, essentially the same and so it is simply a matter of personal taste.
Chrome did, for a time and perhaps still, automatically keep updates a built-in version of Flash, but I'm not sure that's still happening. This "trick," while convenient, also requires you to stay up-to-the-minute with Chrome, which updates (to put it mildly) frequently. So as far as I'm concerned, it's easier to just keep Flash (the OS system preference panel) updated generally, as I don't want to have to change browsers every time a site might require Flash (not many anymore, but some still).
Chrome did, for a time and perhaps still, automatically keep updates a built-in version of Flash, but I'm not sure that's still happening. This "trick," while convenient, also requires you to stay up-to-the-minute with Chrome, which updates (to put it mildly) frequently. So as far as I'm concerned, it's easier to just keep Flash (the OS system preference panel) updated generally, as I don't want to have to change browsers every time a site might require Flash (not many anymore, but some still).
TimRichards
Well-Known Member
Re Flash:
Having been listening to Google play for some time in the evenings, using the google play App on my iPhone 6, I thought I might install it on my new-to-me 2011 iMac, running El Capitan.
I thought I might find an ap in the ap store, but good luck, none available. So next I went to the google play web page and attempted to play some seasonal music, and whoops, it requires flash.
Having read a recent related post in the listseve, it seems Flash needs to be enabled for each website thru Safari preferences.
So I installed an updated version of flash, ticked off auto-update, enabled it for a Google Play, and here's my question: does using it only for the one site (i.e. turned on for Google Play only) limit my risk?
Having been listening to Google play for some time in the evenings, using the google play App on my iPhone 6, I thought I might install it on my new-to-me 2011 iMac, running El Capitan.
I thought I might find an ap in the ap store, but good luck, none available. So next I went to the google play web page and attempted to play some seasonal music, and whoops, it requires flash.
Having read a recent related post in the listseve, it seems Flash needs to be enabled for each website thru Safari preferences.
So I installed an updated version of flash, ticked off auto-update, enabled it for a Google Play, and here's my question: does using it only for the one site (i.e. turned on for Google Play only) limit my risk?
DaveWT
Well-Known Member
I would say you are probably right about reducing your risk if you have Flash enabled for just one site as opposed to allowing Flash for all websites, but I guess it depends a bit on which site(s) you want to trust.
As you have probably found out, going to Safari's Preferences and clicking on the security tab allows you to set plug-in settings.
Once you have clicked on that you get a box where you can select your Flash permissions.
You have a choice of No, Yes, or Ask. What I had hoped was that if you set a given web site as "Ask", then each time you visit that website and it needs to use Flash it would ask my permission before letting Flash be used. What I found out, however, is that once I was asked, and I consented, it then changed this setting from "Ask" to "Yes" so that on future visits it would not ask me again. Not sure if this is how it was intended to work. If so, why not just set that website for "Yes" and be done with it?
As you have probably found out, going to Safari's Preferences and clicking on the security tab allows you to set plug-in settings.
Once you have clicked on that you get a box where you can select your Flash permissions.
You have a choice of No, Yes, or Ask. What I had hoped was that if you set a given web site as "Ask", then each time you visit that website and it needs to use Flash it would ask my permission before letting Flash be used. What I found out, however, is that once I was asked, and I consented, it then changed this setting from "Ask" to "Yes" so that on future visits it would not ask me again. Not sure if this is how it was intended to work. If so, why not just set that website for "Yes" and be done with it?
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TimRichards
Well-Known Member
Good point. It makes little sense. I also observed that the google play site needed to be on screen at the time to have it show up in the preferences. When I first looked a couple of other websites were there. So in other words, if it is on screen already, why not just pop up a preferences pane over the page rather than say "you need flash".
Anyway I am presuming Google Play is a safe website for now.
My next step is to explore playing my own music (on my hard drive) with Google Play, trying to move away from ITunes having read of some issues with iTunes mucking with ones music.
Anyway I am presuming Google Play is a safe website for now.
My next step is to explore playing my own music (on my hard drive) with Google Play, trying to move away from ITunes having read of some issues with iTunes mucking with ones music.
chas_m
Well-Known Member
TimRichards":15qct6u7 said:My next step is to explore playing my own music (on my hard drive) with Google Play, trying to move away from ITunes having read of some issues with iTunes mucking with ones music.
Not possible. Google Play is a download and streaming service, not an app, so it can't play your local music.
iTunes is fine if quirky. Apple Music is, IMO, a far better service than Google Play for streaming music, not least because no Flash is required.
There are a number of alternative Mac apps for playing local music if one doesn't wish to use iTunes for some reason, such as Vox.