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What has happened to Family Search ?

My sworn enemy add on which sends me spare every time is 'Free McAfee Security Scan Plus' which loads by default if you FORGET to uncheck the 'include McAfee box' when updating Adobe Flash Player. The number of times this has happened because I have simply responded to a favourite Utility which takes care of updates for me. It tells me 'Flash Player' needs updating to a new version and seeks my permission to download. I give it, accept terms and conditions and the update commences. But what escapes me each time (as there is a fair interval between updates) is spotting the Adobe download includes the accept McAfee box (and yes it does say optional) with a default tick. So it gets loaded and I end up deleting it each and every time. Grrrrr!:mad:

Of course McAfee is a supposedly 'good guy' -after all it produces its own AV program - but I already have either Norton or Kaspersky (depending on computer) and do not need (nor is it good to have) two AV programs. Adobe might be in cahoots (perhaps he met Gillian there -sorry from another posting) with McAfee but I guarantee I most certainly am not.
 
Since my McAfee posting I have learned that some Flash Player updates (possibly those that come direct from Adobe) actually do not allow the option to detach (NOT include) McAfee and you end up downloading both. I can't recall it happening to me that way, but if it is true (and there is sufficient Google evidence to show it is) then it is time Adobe stopped the practice.
 
Gillian said:
Not Gillian, not Pauline, but actually it was Britjan who was nearly in Cahoots with you, Bob. Never mind. You'll sort us out one day. ;)
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There I go again, I read something then get on with something else, leave the computer, return later and spot a posting to which I want to respond. I then use the word 'cahoots' which triggers a memory trail and of course I forget who said what. Sorry Gillian & sorry Britjan; I'm clearly up the garden path never mind Cahoots.
 
Bob Spiers said:
Flash Player
Click to expand...

This program causes me problems on both Firefox and I.E. My browsing slows down,hangs,freezes and eventually a box appears saying," Adobe Flash Player has stopped working or may be busy. Stop plugin or try again". I always choose 'stop plugin' but may have to do this several times before I can continue and actually open a web page.

So when it gets particularly frustrating I uninstall Flash Player to avoid swearing(under my breath) at the computer. This solves the problems,then of course I may want to view say, a news item on the BBC page only to find I can't watch the 'movie' part of the report.

I am currently in the 'no flash' mode, favouring happy browsing:)
 
emjay said:
This program causes me problems on both Firefox and I.E.
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My sympathies and there are times when I abandon the download on one or the other of my computers, only to find a different download that reports I am missing Flash Player! I have had problems on all 3 browsers(plus Chrome) at different times (and likely different reasons some being plug in ones). As I posted I have a Utility (Glary Utilities Pro) that is first rate at reporting out of-date software. I find updates downloaded via this Utility seem to fare better, but by no means always. I have a love hate relationship with Adobe, particularly with Flash Player and would be interested to hear if Alexander has any tips on the subject.
 
Flash Player is a technology that is in its death throes. Flash is a computationally heavy process, that eats up processor time slowing down the machine. For this reason Apple doesn't support flash at all in its iPhones and iPads as it would make those devices draw down power too quickly and users would of course blame the phone/tablet rather than the flash player software they are using.

As a result of Apples influence and the fact that they have millions of users lots of websites that used to be flash heavy are abandoning it in favour of a newer standardised technology called HTML5 that is the core of modern browsers. Since vast numbers of websites are dropping the use of proprietary flash in favour the standards approved technology of HTML 5, flash is dying as a technology as companies want their content to be viewed regardless of what hardware users are using. Its taking time but things like the adoption of Windows 10 and the death of XP and its non HTML 5 browser IE7, will speed the adoption of hardware neutral HTML5.
 
Thanks Alexander. When I upgrade to Windows 10, will I still be reliant on 'Flash' for some time to come?
 
Flash and Windows 10 are unrelated. The death of flash is taking place regardless. It still works in Windows 10 there is no link.
 
Ok Alexander, I was referring to your concluding sentence and thinking that W10 might be speeding things up regarding the demise of Flash.:rolleyes:
 
I've had trouble accessing Family Search for a few weeks. Sometimes I can get to home page but no further. Tried Tim's link above which took me to search page but I got a message about 'technical difficulties'. Are these ongoing? It's very frustrating as it's my last resort in many cases of trying to break down brick walls!
 
I'm not aware of any problems - I certainly haven't experienced any difficulties. If you're not already using Chrome, perhaps you should be?
 
I have used Family Search a fair bit lately and experienced no problem. I use Firefox and connect to https://familysearch.org, sometimes adding ...search/collection/igi (International Genealogical Index) if a Historial Records search is unsuccessful.
 
emjay said:
Apparently Flash is now incorporated with W10 without the need to download it as a separate program.
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As I understand it Flash runs in the browser so it can't be part of Windows. I thought that Flash was being supplanted by HTML5?
 
Bob Spiers said:
I have used Family Search a fair bit lately and experienced no problem. I use Firefox and connect to https://familysearch.org, sometimes adding ...search/collection/igi (International Genealogical Index) if a Historial Records search is unsuccessful.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Will try that.
Just tried address and it didn't work with Safari.

Tried Firefox and got the message: "Firefox can't find the server at familysearch.org"
 
That link works for me in Firefox. Your Safari and Firefox browsers were on different machines (e.g. tablet & PC)? It makes me wonder if you have a problem with DNS entries (Domain Name System), but others would have to help with troubleshooting that. Maybe reboot your router?
 
peter said:
As I understand it Flash runs in the browser so it can't be part of Windows. I thought that Flash was being supplanted by HTML5?
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It's not that it's part of Windows, but in W10 it does get updated through Windows updates.

But only for I.E. and Edge, I think. In Firefox Flash is updated as in earlier versions of Windows.
 
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