Can't get rid of Macromedia, Shockwave, Flash Player popups.

JimVT | 07/12/2002 | JimVT

[JimVT]

How do we kill Macromedia popup ads?

[JimVT]

Has anyone found a solution to the insidious ads that keep popping up on some web sites practically demanding that one install "Macromedia", or "Shockwave" or Flash Player"?

I have e-mail correspondence with one Charmaine Ramirez at Macromedia Customer Service MM who continues to tell me that it's all someone else's fault.

Says Ms. Ramirez: "...if you are trying to access a certain website other than Macromedia that contains certain graphics or animation, it will continuously pop up on your screen as long as you don't download the plug-in.

Macromedia did not give you that message. It is your system that is prompting you to download. (Note: I didn't know my system had a brain.) Certain websites use our product to create animations or requires web players in it (sic). If you do not have the proper plug-in it will prompt you to download the Shockwave or Flash Player. (Note: She doesn't say that it 'prompts' you three or four times before giving up.)

We understand your situation regarding this matter.

Once you download the free plug-in, this warning message will stop appearing"

So if I understand Macromedia and Ms. Ramirez correctly, the way to get my Internet Explorer to stop asking me to install Macromedia is to INSTALL Macromedia.

Do you suppose George Orwell is involved here?

Any help appreciated.

[savedbygrace]

She's right. If you want the gfx and animations on the site(s) you visit, download the plug. If not, don't. Your choice.

But when you visit a page that has these features, and you don't have the plug, the site is going to keep telling you to choose between getting the plug or not seeing the gfx.

[Glenn]

Do you suppose George Orwell is involved here?

Why all the fuss? Are you on a 2400 baud dial up?

[tictoc]

AFAIK, Flash and Shockwave have not been hacked yet, unlike Java and Javascript. So installing the plug-in is relatively low risk.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Try a browser that allows you to reject ALL pop up windows. You can reject all pop-ups if this option is checked, whether they involve Flash, or complaints about Flash not being present. Mozilla, Netscape, and Opera all offer this as a "Preference." I haven't used Explorer in a while, although it works OK, and I don't remember if this is an available option for it--I tend to think not, at least as far as versions up to 5.5.

I can't think of an easy solution to specifically reject Flash oriented material. Disabling popups gets everything.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

It can be a little time consuming, but I can tell you what I've done to kiss the pops-ups good bye.

In IE internet zone I've disabled javascript, ActiveX, and cookies. Those sites I frequent that need javascript, like for e-mail, I've put them in another zone with it turned on. For the ones that need cookies, (like FR), they've been placed in a zone with cookies on (javascript off). Some sites like hotmail and radio require cookies and javascript and those few are in a zone with both features turned on.

Bottom line is 99% of the web sites I visit are in the internet zone and I have completely eliminated the problem.

[Glenn]

If you are using a late version of IE, you can disable "Install On Demand".

Tools:Internet Options:Advanced:Browser:Enable Install On Demand (IE/Other).

[danzaroni]

Do you suppose George Orwell is involved here?

Although I have a relatively limited knowledge on the life of George Orwell, I do not believe he was involved in anything related to computers.

[woofer]

It's true, your machine has a brian. Kill it now. Before it can organize all the other computers in your community and they take over and launch the nukes!

Seriously? OK. If a webpage is designed to be viewed with Shockwave or Flash, it is assumed that when you try to access the page in question you'd probably would like to see the page and all it has to offer. That would then be only possible if the proper plug-ins were installed on your computer so that your browser could display the page as intended and designed on your monitor. Yes, the server where the offending page is held has software that will query your computer to see if the proper plug-ins are installed and if not, offer to upload and install them for you. If you don't want them installed on your machine, then reply NO. But if you really want to see the animated website, I'm afraid you'll have to swallow hard and let the software be installed on your machine.

At least they ask, as opposed to "Gator", that insidious spyware that many commercial site let loose on the viewing public. Only way to stop it from getting on your harddrive is to block access with firewall software.

[Mean Daddy]

Try Nemo's Ad Zapper

http://ca.geocities.com/iamnemo2001/AdZapper.html

[Texas Jack]

I've been using a free Pop-Up Stopper and it gets 95% of all pop-pages. Click HERE

[Drawsing]

I am a Flash programmer/designer. Let's hear it for conservative Flash programmers! We are a rare breed! I went to the New York City Flashforward conference in 2000. It was a leftist/liberal compost heap.

Well designed Flash pages include flash detection that asks you politely if you would like to download the plugin or would you like to see the non-flash content. That being said...why not go ahead and download it? There is a lot of cool stuff being done in Flash.

[Still Using Air]

Get the plugin and be done with it.
It works...it will NOT harm your computer.
It's fast, too.

[JimVT]

...asks you politely if you would like to download the plugin

Thanks for your response

Here's my perspective.

Yesterday, I went to 5 or more sites in a row with each one asking me ("politely") if I wanted to dl Macromedia or Flash Player or whatever.

Each time I clicked "NO".......only to go to the next page on the SAME site and be asked the same question again....TWICE!!

After 5x2 annoying questions I asked Macromedia (see above) how to get rid of the requests. They, in effect, said it's my problem.

As you can see from the (very good) responses to my post, I have received some excellent methods of solving the problem.

But it is not because of any help from Microsoft or Macromedia.

Internet users should not have to go to all this trouble to rid themselves of unwanted intrusions.

[Dog Gone]

Internet users should not have to go to all this trouble to rid themselves of unwanted intrusions.

If you knocked on the door of a house in your neighborhood because you wanted to look inside, would you consider it intrusive if the homeowner asked you a question first?

[JimVT]

Man....that is really strrrrrrrrretching the point!

I asked a simple question about solving a problem that I shouldn't have in the first place and every other response tells me to just bite the bullet and be a good soldier.

Bushwa!

Am I on Free Republic here or did I take a wrong turn somewhere?

[Dog Gone]

I think some of us are trying to tell you that you don't have a problem, yet you remain adamant that you do.

[kipj]

Why would you NOT want Macromedia or Flash Players on your computer? Without these plug-in devices you are missing quite a lot.

[savedbygrace]

You think this is a "Free Republic" issue? Ha. Yes, you took a wrong turn. Whine and cheese is in aisle 4.

[palmer]

Without these plug-in devices you are missing quite a lot.

Like what? (NB, I use lynx for a lot of my browsing)