Plug-ins, including Flash

[Jonathan Hutchins]

A site I supported until recently had four different plug-ins that were 
required by various developers: Flash, Authorware, Crystal Reports, and 
Filenet IDM.  These plug-ins run up to 20MB each, and have considerable 
overlap in function.  When we reached the point where we were getting version 
conflicts - one site had to have v.3, one had to have v.4 - we had to say 
"enough" and refuse to install any more. 
 
These systems can have some use if you are working within an intranet with a 
standardised document management system. 
 
On a publicly accessible web site they're just plain wrong.  Sure, they can 
add flavor to the experience, but I object to a web designer forcing me to 
download and install software that I did not choose. 
 
If there were a mandatory registration fee, would you download the Flash 
plug-in?  Have you downloaded the Nagware version of Apple's Quicktime?  Most 
plug-ins have been fairly restrained about loading spy-ware and spam on a 
user's computer, but some have been eggregious, and some are things like gator 
which are primarily spy-ware.  Where do you draw the line? 
 
Flash is allowing spammers to limit your ability to disable the spam - this is 
outrageous!  If there is a legitimate reason to have controls for the flash 
content, then those controls should be available, and one prominent one should 
be "NO"! 
 
What about the people who have marginal systems or connections, for whom the 
plug-in alone is a significant load on their system? 
 
What about the people who are running a locked-down corporate computer?  Are 
they going to call their IT department and say "I want you to load Flash on my 
computer so I can browse this job search site"? 
 
If you want to dress your site up with special layouts and animation, go ahead 
and use these things to "enhance the viewing experience", but don't rely on 
them.   
 
If you make your content accessible only through propietary, closed-source, 
non-open-standard software you shut people out, to say nothing of betraying 
the spirit of the open source movement. 
 

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