Linux Flash Player Performance Configuration

Report · Feb 22, 2012

Hello everyone,

I've been looking around the net and I haven't stumbled onto anything useful. Performance on Flash Player for Linux is garbage when compared to any Microsoft operating system on the exact same system. I'm curious why this is the case. It probably has something to do with one of the many benefits of Linux, choice.

When I upgraded my Flash Player from 10 to 11 when 11 was in the labs, I found a noticible performance gain, but nothing special. Everything seemd to chug along less sluggishly, but everything was still slow, especially when comparing the exact same thing on a Microsoft operating system. What takes 100% CPU on my machine under Linux takes less than 40% under Windows. Hell, I can run a Virtual Machine with Windows XP from Slackware Linux and get better performance! This is pathetic!

What I want to know, is if anyone knows of any configuration, of Linux or Flash, that will improve Flash Player performance.

Report · Feb 22, 2012

I suspect you'll probably get a better response if you post this over on the forums for your particular distro. I can tell you that due to the current state of linux gpu drivers, Flash Player does not do hardware acceleration like it can on both Mac and Windows. This will definitely have an impact on your CPU usage.

Thanks,

Chris

Report · Feb 23, 2012

Thanks Chris,

I find it hard to accept your 'driver state' answer but I respect your advice. I'm probably going to hop on over to Linux Questions which is the official forum for my distribution, Slackware.

nVidia provides binary, proprietary, drivers for Linux so I don't really see what the issue is with getting support for Linux drivers as I suspect getting proprietary driver information from nVidia for WIndows, OS X or Linux drivers would be as close to an identical process as possible. You know, NDAs etc. Mac OS X - darwin - is very much based on BSD which is a lot closer to a Linux than Windows.

ATI also provides Linux drivers for x86 and and x86_64 based systems. Both of these drivers are designed for x.org.

There are also open source projects for nVidia and ATI, although I would be happy with proprietary driver support.

I think the answer should read more closely to: "There isn't any money in supporting a couple million customers when there are exponentially more users with proprietary systems."

In the end, though, if hardware support does come to Linux from Adobe, I doubt my card is within the age range to be supported, unless they are going to support legacy cards. Mine is an N6200.

Report · Feb 23, 2012

I guess I should have prefaced my comment that I don't have first hand experience with these drivers, but this is what I've been told by reliable sources. Regardless, you're not alone with this request. I'd like to suggest you take a moment and cast your vote for the following bug:

https://bugbase.adobe.com/index.cfm?event=bug&id=2992148

Thanks,

Chris

Report · Feb 23, 2012

Thanks Chris,

I tried the option available mentioned in the bug, but from what I gather, that's only a workaround for video. Another option for video is to download the video and watch it in an external player, like VLC. My issue is mostly with Flash games.

I'm hoping an engineer of some sort will be able to weigh in on this subject, or sources may be cited. I suspect it is more of a monetary issue than a technical issue.

[EDIT]

Just reading over the issue...it's closed and months old and only has 3 votes, including mine. It's deemed a driver issue...I'm starting to feel like Adobe just doesn't care about Linux beyond _BASIC_ support.