Two approaches to Flash

Two approaches to Flash

Posted Apr 4, 2007 21:16 UTC (Wed) by mrshiny (subscriber, #4266)
In reply to: Two approaches to Flash by ncm
Parent article: Two approaches to Flash

The problem is, asking the user which implementation to use is a sign of usability failure. For an app like Flash, there should be no question, ever, of this sort: the flash view should work, period. Frankly, the user isn't likely to even recognize the program choices:

• Adobe Flash Player
• Gnash
• SWFDEC

As someone mentioned, if you have option 1 installed there's no need to ever use 2 or 3. And "Gnash" and "swfdec" have to rank up there with the worst, least useful project names ever. At least Gnash rhymes with Flash, so there is a mnemonic to let the user remember what it is, after they've had it explained to them. But the user will just read the dialog like this:

This page requires blah blah.  Blah blah blah:
[O]  blah blah
[O]  blah blah
[ ] Always do this from now on
OK - Cancel

Advanced users, who understand the situation better, may find this feature useful, but then the second problem is that needing to use two different tools to do the same job is dumb; it means the tools are broken.

[This post is not intended as a comment on the completion of the flash players. I can't wait until Flash works properly again, and we have the freedom with Flash that we've become accustomed to in other applications]

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