Must Read: Sorry, but bringing back the Start menu won't help Windows 8

Topic: Windows

Calm down, Windows 8 DOES support Flash

Summary: Don't panic! Internet Explorer 10 on Windows 8 will still allow you to use all your favorite plug-ins, including Flash.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

Does Windows 8 support Flash? Yes, yes it does, so don't believe the trolling headlines.

Take this headline for example, from Cult of Mac:

I can sum up that headline with a single graphic:

Here's the deal. Windows 8 will ship with effectively two browsers ... a standard Internet Explorer 10 that you'll do your web browsing through and a second Metro-style app. The standard IE10 will support plug-in like Flash just as it does today. However, the Metro version of the browser will not. If you're using the Metro browser and you need to make use of a plug-in such as Flash, you can switch to the standard browser and get access to plug-in goodness.

Here's the Metro-style browser:

Here's the regular IE10:

You can also switch between the Metro browser and the standard with a couple of clicks:

And if IE doesn't float your twig, install a different browser!

It makes sense that the Metro-style IE doesn't support plug-ins because the Metro UI loads in at the start ... can you imagine what sort of performance hit might occur from having to load a bunch of plug-ins? There's also the issue of security to consider.

Worried that the ARM version will not support Flash? Don't! ARM and Adobe are working closely to make sure ARM is not left behind (it's unclear if the ARM version of Windows will have the classic desktop, but everything I'm hearing suggests that it will .. we'll see).

Topics: Windows, Microsoft, Operating Systems, Software

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

84 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • Why does Cult of Mac care?

    There is something very odd going on with the Apple community. It seems that they have a new mission: spread as much FUD about Microsoft as is humanly possible.<br><br>I don't quite understand why. Steve Jobs himself said that MS didn't have to lose for Apple to win so why is it so important for such a large majority of the Apple community that MS loses? The sad thing is that these Apple sites and pro-Apple talkbackers on ZDNet really make themselves look like idiots every time they write.
    toddybottom
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Calm down, Windows 8 DOES support Flash

      @toddybottom

      Because they are fanatics, a fanatic is someone who believes that it is not good enough to simply 'win', everyone else must also lose.
      Doctor Demento
      Reply Vote

    • lol

      @toddybottom
      the pot calling the kettle black. really, funny funny stuff!
      of course the cult of softies are so innocent when it comes to these matters.
      oneleft
      Reply Vote

      • Sources...

        @oneleft

        Might help your case if you could specify where "Cult of Softies" members have claimed that OS X didn't have a feature & they were then proven to be wrong.
        spdragoo@...
        Reply Vote

      • One button mouse comes to mind. That old canard STILL

        raises its head. Death by viruses and trojans is another one. Massive security vulnerabilities is a third.
        baggins_z
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Calm down, Windows 8 DOES support Flash

        @oneleft
        MS doesn't have to care about apple. They're not able to take away the big money making enterprise market. Apple already tried as hard as they could. Remember "hi I'm a mac". all those millions and they still couldn't gain any additional % market shares. Apple cares about gaining on MS. But MS doesn't care about apple gaining because MS knows apple can't do it.
        rengek
        Reply Vote

    • Windows 8 won't support plugins

      ....but IE10 does and Firefox does and these come bundled with Windows 8, so there's a workaround.

      "The sad thing is that these Apple sites and pro-Apple talkbackers on ZDNet really make themselves look like idiots every time they write"

      No the sad thing is Metro won't support plugins, so no stock trading (Java) in Metro, no flash games, no flash video sites. No autoproxy, no acrobat reader, no lots of things.

      They work in Android, it's part of the reason Android overtook iPhone.
      guihombre
      Reply Vote

      • Is that true? And here I thought it was because

        @guihombre
        Android was thrown on every phone - expensive/cheap/free it didn't matter, whatever they could find.

        I talk with people and they say "I have an Android Phone" but admit when asked they have no idea what Android is, they just bought the $49.99 phone.

        To be honest, I haven't heard one person tell me they bought it for Flash.
        William Farrell
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Calm down, Windows 8 DOES support Flash

        @guihombre

        If you read Microsoft's reasoning, you'll see that it makes sense. Speed, battery life and security are all compromised by these plugins, especially Java and Flash.
        msalzberg
        Reply Vote

      • Wait a minute...

        @guihombre

        If the software that will be running in Windows 8 supports the plug-ins, then Windows will be supporting the plug-ins. I mean, seriously, I don't expect Windows XP to start looking for the "correct plug-in" when I click on my desktop icons... & I would shudder to think of the possible security ramifications if a smartphone OS used *plug-ins* to start apps.

        Unless people are somehow expecting Windows 8's Metro to be essentially a "super-app" that treats all other apps as "super plug-ins".
        spdragoo@...
        Reply Vote

      • Re: Windows 8 won't support plugins

        @guihombre Huh? "Workaround"?? What workaround? It's ALWAYS been this way. Even on a Mac. The OS's don't support plugins (particularly plugins like Flash or Java). It's the applications that RUN on those OS's that support plugins. For my OS to run Java, it runs the Java application... it's not a "plugin". To view Flash, I either launch the Flash player APPLICATION or launch a web browser that has a Flash player plugin. There is no Flash player "plugin" for the OS itself. Unless you're under the disillusion that applications (like Excel and iTunes) are somehow "plugins".<br><br>I doubt very much that normal folks buy Android phones, even in part, because they support Flash. 99% of consumers wouldn't even know what Flash is or when (or when not) they're viewing it. Really, only techies really care. No, as @William Farrell said, the real reason Android has gained marketshare is because folks could get it cheap and it is in plentiful supply.
        csteinola
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Calm down, Windows 8 DOES support Flash

        @William Farrell, csteinola - "the real reason Android has gained marketshare is because folks could get it cheap and it is in plentiful supply."

        Oh please. Wake me up when the iP5 notification UI finally catches up with Android v1, 2008. Or when you have a free choice of installable software, mobile carrier, can upgrade your battery/storage and can choose to install your choice of OS / launcher / Swype keyboard.

        Cheaper (<??20pm, 18m, unlim data) AND better spec'd (bow at my 4.3" SuperAMOLED SGS with 40GB+ storage) .. AND a better UI user experience IMO. But don't let that interrupt your amusing "they only buy em coz they're cheap!" delusions.
        Psdie
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Calm down, Windows 8 DOES support Flash

        @guihombre I don't know where the other people replying to your post get their info, but a number of us chose Android because it supports flash. Most web based training is based on some form of Flash. If you want to put tablets in a training lab, they better support Flash or you better be ready for a large bill to convert your training materials.

        I am sure that there is a large population buying smart phones of all flavors who really only need a phone and SMS, but there are specific uses that need Flash or Java or whatever and for those business uses it continues to be a requirement that you can do business with the device.
        sbf95070
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Calm down, Windows 8 DOES support Flash

        @William Farrell
        Most people won't buy a product because it supports/does not support flash. I agree. Most average consumers don't have a clue as to what it is. Heck, lots of shrills proclaiming html5 will replace flash obviously don't know what Flash is.

        However, all an average person needs to do is go to a website and see that blank download plug-in graphics will know that something ain't quite right in kansas. Eventually, out of curiosity they will ask someone what that means. They may not care about Flash but will care about content. I was on the us open web site with a ifanboy just recently. We both went online to check on live scores. He sheepishly just put his phone away as if I got the score faster than he did so why bother. But I knew why. I turned to him and said "can't read the flash scores on the site can you, its ok you can go to the plain html page for a more plain jane experience. no need to hide your phone's deficiency" :)
        rengek
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Calm down, Windows 8 DOES support Flash

      @toddybottom

      @msalzberg - don't forget. Java and Flash were created because nobody had open standards. Each company tweaked HTML and other languages for their own benefit, forcing developers to work on solely one platform or use more time than should need be to compile to competing platforms.

      And fragmentation will remain: http://www.splatf.com/2011/07/brightcove-html5-sponsored/
      But there are a number of articles and blog entries.

      New boss = old boss.
      The king is dead, long live the king.
      etc.

      Java and Flash are alive and well - even your blu-ray player runs on Java...

      And Apple badmouthed Flash because Flash games compete with their closed market. Which is more profitable for Apple, allowing Flash or compelling people to buy Canabalt for $4 (of which they get $1.30 for each sale) instead? That's a simple enough question that even the DOJ should know is sheer anti-competitive behavior. Period.
      HypnoToad72
      Reply Vote

      • Apple badmouthed Flash because it worked very poorly on their systems.

        @HypnoToad72 ... End of story.

        Pagan Jim
        James Quinn
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Calm down, Windows 8 DOES support Flash

        @HypnoToad72
        I doubt that was the only reason. Can you say [b]resource hog[/b]?

        If anything, you should be bashing Adobe for not coming up with a lightweight version of Flash for tablets. Never mind the security question with Flash becoming a tunnel for malware.
        ScorpioBlue
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Calm down, Windows 8 DOES support Flash

      @toddybottom <br><br>Do not try to pretend that therre are only Mac fanatics. There are MS fanatics, Linux fanatics, BSD fanatics and so on. And each type of fanatic spreads FUD about the others. Anyone who regularly reads your posts knows that you are no better.
      Restricted_access
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Calm down, Windows 8 DOES support Flash

      @toddybottom

      Some of it is directed by Apple. It's to do with the movement to HTML5 and MS's well thought out road map. While IE10 in Mango and Win 8 supports comprehensive HTML 5, Apple is still restricting the use of the <autoplay> tag in iOS to prevent fully interactive HTML 5 multimedia apps surpassing their proprietary apps produced with their terrible development system and losing the 30% they charge for the privilege.

      My current web apps use HTML 5 or Flash for audio and video and they work on all browsers and platforms except iOS as it doesn't support real HTML 5 or Flash. About time Apple gave up its transparent attempt to lock people into their proprietary apps and embraced web apps - even though they won't be able to gouge money from the developers.

      A large part of community reaction is OS envy. Despite massive amounts of lipstick, BSD Unix (OS/X) is showing its age and even rusted on Apple fanbois are starting to realise that MS produces modern, smart software and Apple doesn't.
      tonymcs@...
      Reply Vote

    • NEW MISSON?

      @toddybottom

      Seriously, which planet HAVE you been visiting since 1998.

      Jobs may have said that (I honestly doubt it though), but everything he's done since getting back in charge of Apple has been about slamming and slagging Microsoft.

      You didn't see the "Hello, I'm a PC... And I'm a Mac" ads? You haven't seen any Jobs keynote? This is not new...
      TheWerewolf
      Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close