Download.com fails at flash detection

codeman38

So I just installed Flash Player 10 (which has been in beta for a while now, but was finally released), and have come to the conclusion that nobody at music.download.com had tried using the site with the beta version. Trying to open the music player with Flash 10 produces a blank window.

Why? I just had to take a look at the JavaScript...

if (navigator.plugins && navigator.mimeTypes.length) {
  var x = navigator.plugins["Shockwave Flash"];
  if(x && x.description) {
    var y = x.description;
    flashversion = y.charAt(y.indexOf('.')-1);
  }
}

Yep. Apparently I'm using Flash 0. And clearly 0 is less than their minimum requirement.

I guess nobody ever expected that there might be a shipping version of Flash with a two-digit version number...

Monkios

Googling this returns a lot of sites.

I guess you'll have to wait before using Flash on script kiddied sites.

codeman38

I find it amazing that a company as big as CNet would use an outdated script like this, even when Flash 10 was already in beta.

TwelveBaud1

Yeah, that's a major WTF. I think that detection code is actually part of the kit that comes with Flash 5 or Flash MX. You'd also be surprised at the number of sites who assume that just because I don't have JavaScript I also don't have Flash. PocketPC's Pocket Internet Explorer, with Flash 7 installed but without JavaScript support, is a valid configuration.

henke37

Well, you try embeding flash without javascript while being valid html, working in all browsers and not screwing up the preloading!

Duroth

@henke37 said:

Well, you try embeding flash without javascript while being valid html, working in all browsers and not screwing up the preloading!

Not only that, but it's not that strange to assume people browsing without javascript enabled, don't like flash movies popping up despite their settings. I often disable javascript to prevent intrusive movies and ads from popping up.

ender

@Duroth said:

Not only that, but it's not that strange to assume people browsing without javascript enabled, don't like flash movies popping up despite their settings. I often disable javascript to prevent intrusive movies and ads from popping up.

There's also the issue of "Click to activate this applet" due to that lost patent suit on embedding content.

dhromed

related.

Fower Zero Fower — novemberborn.net

sIFR 2 uses the same Flash detection that was originally used in its precursor, IFR, back in 2004. Unfortunately this detection script only expected single digit Flash versions, so it fails to detect Flash 10. This has been fixed in sIFR 2.0.6.

@ender said:

@Duroth said:
Not only that, but it's not that strange to assume people browsing without javascript enabled, don't like flash movies popping up despite their settings. I often disable javascript to prevent intrusive movies and ads from popping up.
There's also the issue of "Click to activate this applet" due to that lost patent suit on embedding content.

[url=http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2007/11/08/ie-automatic-component-activation-changes-to-ie-activex-update.aspx]Not relevant anymore[/url]. Also, it is really that hard to click to activate?