Adobe launches 'free' Flash-only media player
Adobe Systems today released its cross-platform Adobe Media Player (AMP) as a free download.
The software, which was written with the company’s offline web apps platform Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR), plays Flash-only web videos on Macs or PCs and works as an online and offline application.
Adobe said it has inked deals with a …
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Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 11:50 GMT
FRLinux
Cross Platform minus penguins
#

As usual with Adobe, it is win/mac first and possibly in a remote future a Linux version. I wouldn't call that cross-platform.
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 12:18 GMT
John
WinAmp?
#

Odd name choice, given the long-standing music player WinAmp. Plenty of choice for confusion there, methinks.
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 12:21 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Nyeerds
#

You're right, big companies SHOULD pay more attention to Linux users, what with them making up a whopping 0.000002% of computer users worldwide.
Stick to nerdy Linux pursuits.
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 12:46 GMT
IanT
On Linux
#
Not _that_ remote a future...
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/air/
AIR is in alpha for Linux. Because AIR is what it is, Amp won't need rewriting for Linux; it'll run unchanged on AIR for Linux.
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 12:46 GMT
Tom Chiverton
@FRLinux
#
Actually, the AIR runtime is available for Linux right now on labs.adobe.com
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 12:46 GMT
Anonymous Coward
It IS cross platform
#

Because Linux doesn't count with its miniscule fraction of a percent of market share from terrible geeks.
</controversial>
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 13:00 GMT
Benny
@Cross Platform minus penguins
#

If its using AIR to run, then it is cross-platform - well nearly
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/31/adobe_linux_foundation/
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 13:09 GMT
Stuart Halliday
Flash players
#

But we've had offline Flash Players for years....
How else do I play my YouTube video downloads when I'm off the Internet.
:-)
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 13:19 GMT
Transmeta
adobe launches free flash only media player
#

Lets wait and see, wouldn't call it cross platform if it does does not support Linux, and by the way to all those who say only 2% of the world uses Linux-98% of all Routers,ADSL modems, Set-top Boxes, Banks use Linux !!
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 13:21 GMT
Eric Van Haesendonck
Linux market share not so small.
#

Contrary to what you may believe Linux market share isn't so tiny. I think it is now around 1% if you look at the US market share, but in south America and some European countries it's quite higher!
Even if this means only 2% global market share, 2% of 1 billion computers used worldwide is still 20 million computers, as sizeable market.
AIR is availlable for linux anyway (even if development isn't as advanced as on mac or windows), so the point is moot.
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 13:39 GMT
Ash
FAIL
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http://www.flvsoft.com/download_flv/
Too late.
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 13:39 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Microbe
#

"98% of all Routers,ADSL modems, Set-top Boxes, Banks use Linux !!"
All desperately in need of a Flash player, are they?
"I think it is now around 1% "
One WHOLE per cent?!
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 13:52 GMT
avenyet
unix?
#

banks set tops and routers use Unix not linux its like saying routers use OSX
now Web servers use linux
but I think the percentage of Linux uses is much higher than "stats" show its probably more in the region of 3-5% but most of these would be classed as Windows users because they dual boot
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 14:57 GMT
Anonymous Coward
@Anonymous Coward (RE: Microbe)
#

And 1% of 100million is...?
Now consider that Adobe claims 800million current desktops installed with Flash...
Considering the huge amount of computers out there, 1% is a lot.
And if it wasn't for the huge amount of narrowmindednessnesses of these organisations, there would be a lot more linux users that previously didn't move because noone seems to care.
Even in this case if its actually a lot more possible revenue for the company in question.
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 15:01 GMT
Salmon
VLC?
#

Why would I want a flash-only player, when I can have one player that not only plays everything you throw at it, but is about as cross-platform as an application can get?
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
Paris, because she isn't confused about flash.
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 15:04 GMT
A J Stiles
More about Linux
#

Linux exists on many platforms beside 32-bit 80x86; PPC and ARM are the xext most popular platforms, but name an architecture and the chances are good that someone has run Linux on it. (ARM may well gain ground in the future, as the patents covering it expire.)
No product ever truly supports Linux unless it is supplied in Source Code form.
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 15:54 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Fail + 2
#

WinAMP with FFDShow (and that other bit of software to split the FLV container)?
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 19:35 GMT
Anonymous Coward
@Nyeerds
#

Dude, you're trolling the comments pages of a tech news site. How's that glass house working for you?
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 21:49 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Yeah...
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But I'm not doing it on Linux... YOU LINUX NERD!
Posted Wednesday 9th April 2008 23:45 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Au contraire
#

"But I'm not doing it on Linux... YOU LINUX NERD!"
Yes you are.
http://toolbar.netcraft.com/site_report?url=http://www.theregister.co.uk
Posted Thursday 10th April 2008 09:06 GMT
HFoster
I suggest we take off, nuke the site from orbit...
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It's the only way to be safe.
Nerdocalypse 2008. I personally don't give a toss one way or the other.
Posted Thursday 10th April 2008 09:06 GMT
Anonymous Coward
No...
#

I mean I'M NOT RUNNING LINUX you can't-understand-a-simple-premise NERD.
Posted Thursday 10th April 2008 09:17 GMT
Anonymous Coward
The point of this player is the DRM
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DRM is neccessary to get a lot of content on the internet, and isn't going anywhere for things like broadcast programmes where people don't want to pay the costs of permanent ownership up front.
The point of this player, and why it'll get significant market share, is because it's a relatively cross platform player than supports DRM, *and* more importantly timed expiry DRM. And unlike Fairplay, Adobe will actually licence it out to people, making it useful. The BBC have already heavily hinted that any Mac version of iPlayer's download service will use this, and it's very likely any Linux version would do the same.
If I were Apple here I'd be shitting myself, at least until someone can pull Jobs head out of his arse and realise that nobody's going to use something when you won't sell it to them.
Posted Thursday 10th April 2008 09:17 GMT
Geoff Mackenzie
Re: Anonymous troll
#
Isn't it funny how you can always depend on Windows proponents for your special brand of subtle intelligence? Your keen wit and obvious effortless cool makes me feel so small, geekish and insignificant, such a fool, for using Linux and saving hundreds of pounds on licenses and hardware while simultaneously drastically improving the security, performance, stability and flexibility of my systems.
If only we could all be like you.
Posted Thursday 10th April 2008 10:11 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Assumption
#

I don't use Windoze either you berks... I'm BBC Micro all the way baby...
Posted Thursday 10th April 2008 11:23 GMT
Gail
Does it play FLV
#

does it play flv files?
Posted Friday 11th April 2008 01:26 GMT
Graham Lockley
Of the Troll...
#
Im afraid he is one of a very rare species, the platform-agnostic troll. As part of their rites of passage / coming of age / mating ritual they feel a compelling urge to prove that everyone else in the world is stupid/nerdy/misguided. Eventually the testes lower into a mature position and the hormonal imbalance is righted and they slowly adopt a fanbois colouration of their chosen platform, becoming indistinguishable from other NERDS. Enjoy this rare sight ladies and gentlemen.
On the other hand, his frequent use of the term 'nerd' could indicate that he is an O2 PR slug. :)
Posted Friday 11th April 2008 08:22 GMT
b4k4
VLC
#

I second the VLC comment. And its not "free" as in you pay for it by suffering ads, and having Adobe spy on your stats, it actually really is free.
Posted Monday 14th April 2008 13:14 GMT
Pat
Lock-out to follow?
#
Will Adobe then produce some form of FLV that will only work in their player so that we will be unable to use our own FLV players? (I use Media Player Classic+Real Alternative+Ffdshow for everything)
Posted Monday 14th April 2008 13:37 GMT
Odin Eidskrem
If anyone asks me to reinstall their system for them, they also get VLC :o)
#

Mmmm.. vlc :P runs on my ubuntu as well as my windoze, takes almost no system resources, starts up imediately (as opposed to the likes of RM/QT) and plays anything I throw at it (almost, I'm still hoping for native SID support, but eh, give them a few months) and it comes with all the codecs built in, so I don't have to trawl the interwebs looking for some obscure version of indeo video to play the vids from my old (now dead) digicam.
oh, and it does flv files too :D
VLC FTW :P
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