Adobe Flash availability after 2020?

[antbal]

It's been known Adobe terminates flash support by end of 2020, however companies are interested what happens after 2020 - is it possible still to run Flash in major browsers, just without support?  Asking to have plan B if companies won't finish migration by end of 2020, and what are possible workarounds?

Microsoft support told that it depends on Adobe, if they keep flash still available.

thanks!

[Test Screen Name · Accepted solution]

All major browser makers have said they will block Flash at the end of 2020 (or before). Microsoft Support are _not_ reporting the previously stated policy of Microsoft here https://blogs.windows.com/msedgedev/2017/07/25/flash-on-windows-timeline/ . Since Windows 10 bundled Flash, since Windows 10 updates are compulsory: we can assume Microsoft will release a compulsory patch to stop Flash working in their browsers on Windows 10.

Adobe's advice has consistently been: there is no plan B.  This why there has been the unique and unprecidented lead time of well over 3 years before shut down. Adobe's statement: https://theblog.adobe.com/adobe-flash-update/

[antbal]

Hi,

thanks for reply.

Microsoft blog you ref. says:

"By the end of 2020, we will remove the ability to run Adobe Flash in Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer across all supported versions of Microsoft Windows. Users will no longer have any ability to enable or run Flash."

What if for plan B we run temporary on Windows 7 which is not supported platform, what would mean Flash should be able to run.   Question - would flash not be blocked by Adobe on Windows 7 or lower windows version?

thanks!

[Test Screen Name]

Where would you get Flash Player if Adobe stop distributing it?

>  would flash not be blocked by Adobe on Windows 7 or lower windows version?

Adobe are not blocking Flash anywhere - or if they are, they have not said. Browser makers are blocking.

We absolutely do not know what will happen. Perhaps Adobe have a time limit in Flash Player and it will stop everywhere. This seems unlikely, but this could happen. THERE IS NO PLAN B. 

[antbal]

Our need is for emergency only -  to have plan B if our migration project will take longer and will run into 2021 year.

1. if we download  Flash player and have installation package for WIN7 ,  before Adobe stopped distributing, then should be fine?  Microsoft advisor confirmed from Windows 7 side  there is plan B!

2. can you please verify with Adobe is there any limitation   ( time and etc.) after 2020 year , to run  Flash player in IE on WIN7

thanks!

[Test Screen Name]

No I can’t verify anything. Adobe have not given any more info about their future plans despite repeated questions. Assume the worst. 

[Robert Mc Dowell]

Plan B will be webassembly, Please check on the net especially github for all major projects that try to keep SWF files alive. But it's still in early stages and contributors are welcome

[John5E69]

Other people are doing everything they can to make flash games to be playable after 2020, and Adobe themselves are doing Absolutely nothing to help them, on the flash EOL page they mention

WebAssembly, why hasn't Adobe been porting the plugin to WebAssembly? Adobe just wants those games to be unplayable and kill at least 10% of the history of the Internet.

Sorry Adobe, but I will stop using any Adobe products after 2020.

[wfredk]

I think boycotting Adobe completely is a reasonable plan.  Making significant parts of the history of the Internet and millions of embedded applications stop working and unavailable is a TOTALLY unreasonable stance.

Kill the kill switch, Adobe - you're shooting yourself in the foot with a 16" howitzer

[Guest]

It was confirmed by Adobe to have a kill switch I believe by ABC news a couple weeks ago, so not unlikely, it is a thing.

[Ceerazzledazzle]

Dear all,

What about powerpoints which have flash embedded within them. Will they still work as they are opened via powerpoint and do not require a browser?

Many thanks in advance

[Test Screen Name]

Powerpoint is working like a browser here, and using the browser plug-in. So this too will stop on the appointed day. Need to avoid Flash in ALL its forms.

[stustjohn]

Okay, I have read most of the comments here, including the replies from Adobe representatives. Can I present to you my situation, please?

• I am a secondary school Physics teacher who, together with a colleague, spent many, many hours developing Flash content that we embedded in Powerpoint presentations to augment our teaching
• I now have a suite of many dozens of Powerpoints that I use in my teaching, most with animations/simulations using Flash
• I cannot afford to pay someone to re-code all this Flash content into some other application
• I cannot afford the time to do all this creative work again from scratch

Please tell me there is some other way to enable the embedded Flash in my Powerpoints or I think I will scream.

Many thanks,  Stuart.

[Valosi]

Depending on how long ago you made them, Ruffle is likely your best bet. They've made a lot of progress on ActionScripts 1-2 (standard for pre-2013) but are having difficulty cracking ActionScript 3's language. They have desktop versions for the Big-3 and plugins for the top 4 browsers (they ned to be manually added each time you open the browser currently).

I would strongly suggest not only trying it out (ruffle.ru) but joining the community so you can give input and possibly get additional help.

You can also set your system clock back if you have Flash still installed (or can get hold of a copy) to before January 12 and Flash will run.

[TheJamesLong]

If you can't find another way, I know a drop in solution you can try, but
I'm not about to go loose lipped on adobe.com and sink the ship. Get ahold
of me.. [moderator: personal information removed] using your university email.

- James T. Long

------------
There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary,
and those who don't.

[alfredcertain]

That "Big Amount of Time" has been impacted by COVID-19 global pandemia, at least on the entire Planet Earth. Have you noticed that? I guess Adobe should keep that in mind and extend that time for another 6 months at least.

[Robert Mc Dowell]

[message removed by moderator]

[Henrysmooth]

I do NOT like CONTROL. I do not like it at all!

Why is ADOBE controlling what happens once the flash player plugin is within the device?

I can understand the live updates and safety of it,but when Macromedia owned it, You could download and use it plain and simple.

(The worst case with macromedia was when a new app would roll out it needed an newer version and I believe the one version 3 had to be the sole plugin for those apps.)

Too many companies CONTROL Your device remotely, even if they do not collect personal info, they are TEATHERED in real-time to every device and this also SLOWS DOWN the internet greatly!

[Guest]

Though this has been answered already, it has been revealed by Adoba them selves via news release stated that even the Flash Player Projector has a built in kill switch and will stop working at EOL date. Adobe is said to also be paying Microsoft to remove support and I have also read they will be making the source code restricted as trade secret via patent, thus effectively making it's use beyond EOL illegal and I as a web developer support this bold action as alternatives such as HTML5/WebGL and now the new WebGPU protocol are all better and much more secure.

[jeromiec83223024]

Here's the official statement: 

https://theblog.adobe.com/adobe-flash-update/

[Adobeuser_sk_can]

Hi jeromiec,

Do you mean that Flash Player Projector not available afer 2020. What is the option for company that still want to use Flash after 2020?

Thanks

[Test Screen Name]

See the answer of July 30th, contact Harman. 

[Diregames]

as another fellow developer who was making a game for flash 3 days ago. i am too hurt by the shutdown of adobe flash. and from diffrent sources, they are saying that it is because "webGL and HTML are maturing" and "flash truely cannot continue with growing tools like html" like cmon adobe, shut the f-ck up. 

say for instance the game Mario for the NES can be used as an example and a moral. Super Mario is an old nes game that was popular for it's time. when it got old, did we stop using it? NO! did nintendo trash the game and the whole nes? F-CK NO!!! Mario is a game still loved by many people and is a part engraved in our childhood.

and so it flash.

to take away NOT ONLY MY WORK, BUT THE WORK OF SO MANY OTHERS IS ABSURD AND DESERVES TO BE BOYCOTTED IMMEDITELY!! There are so many people signing petitions on Change.org to keep this thing alive and you are turning a blind eye to the many people who are BEGGING TO SAVE ADOBE FLASH! LIKE SQUARE UP ADOBE!

you wanna know how mad this makes me? i wanna have a internet-wide boycott for deleting a part of my past and my future. i wanna get a bunch of people together to stop paying for adobe animate and photoshop and all of the products untill YOU STOP!

we man up and stand up for adobe flash. shut up and shut down the process.
keep adobe flash alive!!!

[Farley0D4D]

Maybe, boycotts are not enough, although I support the idea.  People should boycott ALL A

dobe products!  What I really think we need is someone with the ability to initiate a class action lawsuit against Adobe for the harm they will be causing many developers and users!  Law suits seem to work better than boycotts!  Any takers?!

[Diregames]

i am! i support this!