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A
Anonymous
April 18, 2019
Answered

Add Flash to Installation Wizard

  • April 18, 2019
  • 3 replies
  • 1545 views

I want to create an installation wizard that can function offline and i want  to ensure the user has the NPAPI flash plugin.

NPSWF32.DLL (version number included in filename but for convenience using the short name)

I have applied for the license and i am waiting for a response but i would like to get some information about the files.

I understand among the options for distribution include an MSI file that could be bundled within an installation wizzard executable such as one produced with Nullsoft SIS.

My intended use is to have installed during the program setup and ensure that NPSWF32.DLL can be located by the installation wizard once it resumes,

I want to be certain the correct file location is received by my NPAPI container.

This program is for legacy support and archival purposes here is an example of a flash site on Archive.org

Monk-E-mail : Oddcast : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

There is also footage of the program i want to distribute with the flash plugin

What are the best ways to bundle the flash plugin with software with an installation wizard.

i recall browser companies did this a lot a few years ago

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer jeromiec83223024

Like I said, not a lawyer.  I can't give you any guidance on that front. The redistribution program is generally intended for Enterprise sysadmins distributing Flash Player within their corporate environments.  In the rare instances where Flash Player is (legally) bundled with a browser (e.g. Microsoft or Google), that behavior is covered under an extensive multi-year contract and involves revenue and requirements about update distribution, etc.

If you have contact information for the distribution team, I'd recommend reaching out to them with a clarification on your use-case.  They're best positioned to give you an answer and/or explicit written permission to proceed.  Alternatively, you could reach out to legal at adobe dot com and perhaps get guidance on how our licensing agreement would or would not apply to your particular use-case.

I'd like to be of more help, but I'm not able to give you any kind of legally binding permission, or any kind of legal guidance or advice.  You'd need to work that out with the licensing team.

Thanks!

3 replies

T
Test Screen Name
Legend
April 20, 2019

I've assumed that Adobe will stop distributing Flash completely. That there will be no legal copies of it anywhere, because nobody will have the right to distribute it. That they intend to close it down utterly without a trace.

Either of us might have a wrong assumption.

T
Test Screen Name
Legend
April 19, 2019

I understand that's your point,  but how can Adobe give you permission to do exactly the opposite of their policy, to stop the distribution of Flash?

I understand exactly why you want to do this, and exactly why they wouldn't let you. But what you want to achieve: this is important work. You will need, however, to get deep into negotiations. Perhaps this is not much different from what browser makers do, but I imagine Microsoft, Apple and Google, spent many an hour or week in meetings negotiating their unique rights to distribute. They had a strong position to bring to the table.

If there are indeed licensed codecs or other licensed codes in Flash (and I am free to speculate here, having no inside information, and not speaking for Adobe), then Adobe may finish paying for them, which would make it literally illegal for them to give you the rights you are asking for. In addition, Adobe may not be willing to have any part in future infection vectors coming from future unfixed issues: which is after all perhaps the whole cause of the current situation.

Good luck! You will need it.

A
Anonymous
April 20, 2019

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Test+Screen+Name  wrote

I understand that's your point,  but how can Adobe give you permission to do exactly the opposite of their policy, to stop the distribution of Flash?

Flash is still currently supported until next year i believe the policy is more to encourage transition to other software .

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Test+Screen+Name  wrote

~

Adobe may not be willing to have any part in future infection vectors coming from future unfixed issues: which is after all perhaps the whole cause of the current situation.

Good luck! You will need it.

The risk is negligible and several steps can be taken to eliminate this as a possibility.

More often than not the exploit is a browser hijack or to retrieve a file containing the actual malicious script.

The program can block NPSWF32.DLL from accessing the internet and can refuse to download files it requests it is also possible to sandbox the entire program.

However sand boxing the application would require flash be installed inside the sandbox rather than for example on Windows 10 or Linux under conventional circumstances.

If NPSWF32.DLL is denied access to the internet within Exceede 2020 flash cant even retrieve version_en_win_pl.xml from macromedia.com without the permission of the user,

For context this is used to check the version number of latest release.

“Authorized Operating System(s)” means the desktop or standard-laptop version(s) of the operating system(s) set forth in Exhibit A which, in any event, is one of the Authorized Operating Systems listed at: (a) in the case of the Adobe Reader Software, http://www.adobe.com/go/reader_os, (b) in the case of Adobe AIR, http://www.adobe.com/go/air_sysreqs, (c) in the case of Flash Player, http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/productinfo/systemreqs, and (d) in the case of Shockwave Player, http://www.adobe.com/products/shockwaveplayer/productinfo/systemreqs. For the avoidance of doubt, “Authorized Operating Systems” does not include embedded or device versions of such operating systems. See Section 3.5 (i)(i) for information about systems that are in no event Authorized Operating Systems.

Prohibited Devices. Distributor shall not distribute, download or embed any Adobe Runtime on any non-PC device or with any embedded or device version of any operating system. For the avoidance of doubt, and by example only, Distributor shall not distribute any Adobe Runtime for use on any (A) mobile device, set top box (STB), handheld, phone, game console, TV, DVD player, media center (other than Windows XP Media Center Edition and its successors), electronic billboard or other digital signage, internet appliance or other internet-connected device, PDA, medical device, ATM, telematic device, gaming machine, home automation system, kiosk, remote control device, or any other consumer electronics device, (B) operator-based mobile, cable, satellite, or television system or (C) other closed system device. For information on licensing Adobe Runtimes for use or distribution on devices see

The distribution license is applicable within the context of a standard NPAPI version of flash for conventional use on a Windows Linux or Mac desktop.

If the user wanted to use a third party SWF plugin that is also possible within my program as all of these seem to emulate the NPAPI flash for browser integration.

If I wanted to distribute a sandboxed version I could for example use lightspark instead but this is like all third party flash players incomplete and therefore unsuitable for beta testing as it would be impossible to distinguish between bugs of lightspark and bugs of the NPAPI container without running the official flash plug-in for comparison.

I received the links after I had I asked for offline installations to be used for 400 for a beta test which is more than adequate number for this purpose but for conventional release I would need a separate agreement.

I would assume users would need to get the files from here after 2020 https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/archived-flash-player-versions.html

Distribution of these players is prohibited except as expressly provided otherwise in an agreement between you and Adobe.

I do however believe a strong case is to be made for archive.org to have offline installers especially after the deadline but it would go against the agreement to send mine,

But that’s a matter for Adobe and Archive.org to discuss.

jeromiec83223024
jeromiec83223024
Inspiring
April 18, 2019

I'm not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure that what you're trying to do would violate our EULA.

I believe that you would need to obtain a redistribution license from Adobe in order to bundle Flash Player like that.  It's also problematic, as we would want you to ensure that if you *were* installing Flash Player directly, that you were covering the cost of the codec licenses that would otherwise be paid for via bundled product offers and/or commercial distribution agreements, and that you were ensuring that any copies of Flash that you installed actually stayed updated by also distributing the appropriate update infrastructure.

Long story short, we'd probably advise you not to do this, and instead, point users to https://www.adobe.com/get/flashplayer/ to obtain a copy via our distribution center.  If you want more information or would like to request a redistribution agreement, you can find that information below.

Adobe Flash Player Distribution | Adobe

A
Anonymous
April 18, 2019

I did file a request with information about the program and received a positive response with some links although this was an automated system.

To clarify my intentions what i want to do is not different to bundling flash with a standard web browser and requires no modification of flash players components.

Would it still be acceptable to use the files i received from adobe?

these did appear to check for updates when i tested them

Under typical circumstances the files will be deposited in C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash

but some system configurations and settings create outliers and i want to be prepared as the file name and location must be known for it to be accessed.

i simply need to ensure these are available and as there are reasons why a user may opt to install my software on a computer not connected to the internet

Otherwise the installation is to be run As IS so flash should update as normal.

jeromiec83223024  wrote

that you were covering the cost of the codec licenses that would otherwise be paid for via bundled product offers and/or commercial distribution agreements

The primary use of the software is for archival purposes and intended for use on website such as archive.org the Library and Archival clause of fair use is somewhat applicable

3. License, Requirements, Restrictions.

3.1 License. Subject to the terms of this agreement, including the requirements and restrictions below, and only for purposes of achieving the distribution described in Exhibit A, Adobe grants Distributor a non-exclusive, non-transferable, worldwide, royalty-free license to reproduce and distribute the Software, in all cases solely for the complete installation and use of the unmodified Software on the Authorized Operating Systems on Personal Computers.

EXHIBIT A  Adobe Flash Player & Adobe Shockwave Player

EXHIBIT A :1 Adobe Software to be distributed

EXHIBIT A :2 Description of Licensee Product or Service

EXHIBIT A :3 Authorized Operating System(s) and platform(s)

EXHIBIT A :4 How many end-users will you be distributing to?

EXHIBIT A :5 How do you intend to distribute the Adobe Software?

EXHIBIT A :6 Effective date

My main reason for asking was to ensure i could arrange the default installation to be as compliant as possible prior to release date

jeromiec83223024
jeromiec83223024Correct answer
Inspiring
April 18, 2019

Like I said, not a lawyer.  I can't give you any guidance on that front. The redistribution program is generally intended for Enterprise sysadmins distributing Flash Player within their corporate environments.  In the rare instances where Flash Player is (legally) bundled with a browser (e.g. Microsoft or Google), that behavior is covered under an extensive multi-year contract and involves revenue and requirements about update distribution, etc.

If you have contact information for the distribution team, I'd recommend reaching out to them with a clarification on your use-case.  They're best positioned to give you an answer and/or explicit written permission to proceed.  Alternatively, you could reach out to legal at adobe dot com and perhaps get guidance on how our licensing agreement would or would not apply to your particular use-case.

I'd like to be of more help, but I'm not able to give you any kind of legally binding permission, or any kind of legal guidance or advice.  You'd need to work that out with the licensing team.

Thanks!

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