Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Amazon To Stop Accepting Flash Ads

Posted by timothy on from the I-already-don't-accept-them dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Starting on September 1, Amazon will no longer support Flash across its advertising platform. The online retailer sites changes to browser support and a desire for customers to have a better experience as their reasons for blocking it. Google has been quite active recently in efforts to kill Flash; the Chrome beta channel has begun automatically pausing Flash, Google has converted ads from Flash to HTML5, and YouTube uses HTML5 by default now as well. Safari and Firefox also place limits on Flash content. Is Flash finally on its way out?

8 of 221 comments (clear)

  1. Cites for crying out loud by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    The online retailer sites changes to browser support

    CITES

  2. Good riddance to bad rubbish. by drdread66 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Flash? You mean the Fucking Large-Ass Security Hole? I have had it disabled on my machines for years now, all the way back to the "FlashToggler" software of from the early 2000s. It's about time the rest of the world ditches it too.

    The only good thing about Flash is it made blocking animated ads trivial simply by disabling the plugin. I have not had similar success with HTML5, and fear that the rise of HTML5 will signal the return of pages with so much animated ad content that I can't concentrate on the text. :(

    1. Re:Good riddance to bad rubbish. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      The only good thing about Flash is it made blocking animated ads trivial simply by disabling the plugin. I have not had similar success with HTML5, and fear that the rise of HTML5 will signal the return of pages with so much animated ad content that I can't concentrate on the text. :(

      Why do you think they're doing it? I already routinely encounter pages where HTML5 ads run full-window animations that completely block all the actual content and can't be closed because the "X" to close them is purposely placed off the edge of the window so trying to click on it clicks on the ad instead. The only way to block these ads is with something like NoScript so that they never get to run.

      Of course, Firefox is killing NoScript dead in a year, so we're not even going to have that option soon. This is all about forcing ads to be seen.

    2. Re:Good riddance to bad rubbish. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Yes, Slashdot: Firefox Will Run Chrome Extensions

      That headline sucks, the actual story is Firefox is dropping their current extension API (the one NoScript uses) entirely and replacing it with Chrome's. That would be the Chrome API that doesn't offer the hooks NoScript requires to work.

      You know how AdBlock works better on Firefox than Chrome? Same thing.

      They're also killing all extensions that change the Firefox UI, so you'll be forced into their new Chrome-knockoff look. Basically, they're killing the only reason to use Firefox instead of Chrome by making Firefox into a more bloated, slower version of Chrome.

      Sadly the new Slashdot regime has decided that people trying to hold conversations in comments sections are overrated so I'm not allowed to post this immediately. Who knows when I'll be allowed to answer your question. I guess that's why Slashdot can't do AMA-style interviews, the person being interviewed would get one answer and then be locked out.

    3. Re:Good riddance to bad rubbish. by narcc · · Score: 4, Informative

      How is this informative? Further, this was thoroughly debunked in the earlier thread.

      Mozilla is basing their new plugin architecture on Chrome's, but are extending it to ensure plugins like NoScript (which is specifically mentioned, btw) will still be possible.

      Relax. Both NoScript users will be able to enjoy their favorite plugin for years to come.

      --
      Required reading for internet skeptics
  3. Cites, not sites by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 5, Informative

    The online retailer sites changes

    No, they cite changes.

    Not that I expect anyone do anything about it; Slashdot stories seem to get posted and abandoned. Correcting spelling mistakes that make you look stupid doesn't attract any more advertisers!

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  4. Re:I could choose to not install Flash. But HTML5 by byornski · · Score: 4, Informative

    In firefox you can disable the media stuff in about:config - media.mediasource.enabled. That will at least stop the videos....

  5. Good news and bad news by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 3, Informative

    I'm glad to see Flash go, but it did offer us an element of control over autoplaying videos, by setting your Flash add-on to "Play if clicked." Now we have been stripped of even that meager choice.