Tech Tip: Check if Adobe Flash is installed, then get rid of it

[dkpope]

Flash, it's been a good run. We've had a lot of fun together, but it's time to get some distance... permanently. That doesn't erase my fond memories of playing together back in the day, but we both have to wake up and face the truth. You're outdated and insecure and untrustworthy. It's not me, it's you.

Fake breakup aside, if you've been following the recent issues with Flash that just don't seem to stop you might be thinking you want to be done with it altogether. That's where we come in. It's simple to wipe every trace of Flash from your computer, but first you have to know what you're dealing with. I wasn't sure if I still had it installed so I checked, and there it was.

The next step is to remove Flash from your Windows or Mac system, and from any browsers you use.

Read the complete article.

 

[Mister_K]

And how will I view the pr0n sites I go on without it? Some aren't HTML5 ready.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

And how will I view the pr0n sites I go on without it? Some aren't HTML5 ready.

I feel your pain buddy. It looks like you'll just have to stick with it a bit longer then.

 

[deemon]

Problem here is that with windows 10 you can not exactly get rid of flash... it's kind of inbuilt into the OS with edge... and if you forcibly remove it, by deleting the files, you break windows update...

 

[RustyTech]

Problem here is that with windows 10 you can not exactly get rid of flash... it's kind of inbuilt into the OS with edge... and if you forcibly remove it, by deleting the files, you break windows update...

Hold it right there buddy!!! Did you just discover a way to prevent auto updates!???!??!?!?!?

 

[Cryio]

No tutorial for Opera users?

 

[Cryio]

And how will I view the pr0n sites I go on without it? Some aren't HTML5 ready.

When I got my Windows Phone and wanted to search for porn, I thought, what other device is popular and doesn't use Flash? I searched for iPad/iPhone porn and voila.

Funny story. It works though.

 

[madboyv1]

Too bad so many vendor sites require the use of flash or I would have already started pushing the subject at my workplace...

 

[Mister_K]

When I got my Windows Phone and wanted to search for porn, I thought, what other device is popular and doesn't use Flash? I searched for iPad/iPhone porn and voila.

Funny story. It works though.

haha! Well, If I want to search for pr0n on my phone, I need to unblock my Adult filter which requires me to phone up the carrier (Three UK). Sort of reminds me of this really ...

 

[aMerkuri]

So how I am supposed to run http://www.speedtest.net/ without flash then?

 

[Cycloid Torus]

I'm wondering about alternatives which are almost as effective. I removed Flash as a program and implemented "FlashControl".

Does this work well enough to keep drive-by Flash from clobbering me?

 

[Axiarus]

Problem here is that with windows 10 you can not exactly get rid of flash... it's kind of inbuilt into the OS with edge... and if you forcibly remove it, by deleting the files, you break windows update...

Hold it right there buddy!!! Did you just discover a way to prevent auto updates!???!??!?!?!?

Just change the group policy. I don't get why people think its so difficult.

 

[Axiarus]

So how I am supposed to run http://www.speedtest.net/ without flash then?

testmy.net

 

[PurpleYoda]

I'm wondering about alternatives which are almost as effective. I removed Flash as a program and implemented "FlashControl".

Does this work well enough to keep drive-by Flash from clobbering me?

You never know but there's always hope..

 

[robb213]

And how will I view the pr0n sites I go on without it? Some aren't HTML5 ready.

Just download the videos. Most of the popular sites are HTML5 from what I've seen anywho.

Problem here is that with windows 10 you can not exactly get rid of flash... it's kind of inbuilt into the OS with edge... and if you forcibly remove it, by deleting the files, you break windows update...

Hold it right there buddy!!! Did you just discover a way to prevent auto updates!???!??!?!?!?

Just change the group policy. I don't get why people think its so difficult.

Because most people have Home Premium / Home editions, which lacks group policy and security policy. Even then, I thought they could disable the service to prevent them. Been awhile since I looked into it, but I thought even Enterprise couldn't fully disable it either, and could only go as far as LTS branch with Gpolicy? Memory is getting fuzzy.

I only have Professional editions due to Dreamspark, otherwise I would've gotten Home again for instance.

 

[Axle Grease]

I'll feel no separation anxiety after removing flashplayer. In fact it is cause for celebration. Twitch.tv still uses it and so I will keep it around until the changeover to HTML5.

 

[biggerthanyou]

Yet another site that tells you to uninstall Flash when it loads it on every page. Hard to take anyone serious these days.

 

[Master Hamachi]

Ironic how this Techspot article preaches about security yet has 23 tracking cookies embedded in it.

 

[DelJo63]

preaches about security yet has 23 tracking cookies

I believe these are related to the Ads and the CDN implementation. Try disabling all 3rd party cookies.

 

[Puiu]

Many important websites still use flash and if you want to watch any stream besides youtube you are forced to use flash. while I hate flash, it's still too early to stop using it on my desktop. maybe in 2-3 years when I can watch live TV streams using html5. (because I stopped paying for regular TV)

 

[Dyson Parkes]

So how I am supposed to run http://www.speedtest.net/ without flash then?

testmy.net

Also http://speedof.me

 

[amstech]

Someone give the author a bottle, sing a nice lullaby and rock him till he falls asleep.

 

[infiltrator]

And how will I view the pr0n sites I go on without it? Some aren't HTML5 ready.

I understand how difficult, it must be to want to watch that sexy kitten getting eaten alive by that monstrous beast on a Flash disabled web browser. So painful and frustrating, that's why I use two web browser, Chrome and Firefox. Chrome just sits there and watch, whereas Firefox does all the heavy lifting.

 

[tonylukac]

I don't have much trouble with flash. It's very lightweight, and it would be good if it just didn't require so many prompts when it updates, altho I think there is an option like that. Firefox and internet explorer have now reached the limit of 32 bit architecture due to html5, the flash alternative, as a stupid browser requires 6 gig to run. We ran 200 people on the mainframe in the 70s on 5 meg of memory. Windows 10 is even worse. You can blame jobs and gates in an era they ironically called the new efficiency, where a 3 line visual c++ program required 300 meg.

 

[BarryAllen]

Everyone hated Adobe Flash and other shitware that need to update once a day! What does that say about your piece of crapware, it was never safe or stable, that's why u need to plug holes in it every second day!!!!!

I can understand if he/she has a personal vendetta against flash but as a professional, I failed to see any real sense of this article author advising users to uninstall flash when clearly he can't and no one out there can yet, provide a better replacement in lieu of flash, which is needed for most things flashy out there in the net.

This advise of don't use flash almost amount to ditch all Operating Systems, they are all evil and use your computer without one... yes, as a footstool maybe.