Monday, December 28, 2020

RIP Adobe Flash Player

 

At an ancient technological age of 24 years old, Adobe Flash Player will no longer run after January 12, 2021. The latest Flash Player update specified new content would not be released. “Today marks the final scheduled release of Flash Player for all regions outside of Mainland China. Adobe will no longer support Flash Player after December 31, 2020, and Adobe will block Flash content from running in Flash Player beginning January 12, 2021,” according to a release issued by Adobe. All users are recommended to uninstall Flash player from their operating systems.

According to Adobe, “Open standards such as HTML5, WebGL, and WebAssembly have continually matured over the years and serve as viable alternatives for Flash content. Also, major browser vendors are integrating these open standards into their browsers and deprecating most other plug-ins (like Flash Player.”

Adobe officially announced the demise of Flash Player in July 2017. Companies including Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Mozilla, and many others have taken part in the overall plan to stop updating and distributing Flash Player. Adobe “believes that there has been sufficient time for developers, designers, businesses, and other parties to migrate Flash content to new standards.”

Flash Player opponents point out that it was a security disaster in the early 2000s, consisting of endless rounds of patching security vulnerabilities (usually the worst kinds), which prompted many content creators to use other, more efficient software partners.

For more information regarding the retirement of Adobe Flash Player, check out the Adobe Flash Player End of Life (EOL) General Information Page. Here you will also find detailed instructions on how to uninstall Flash Player from your operating system.

Founded in 1994, Creative Programs and Systems provides professional results for all computer needs. We design, create, and code an array of custom software programs and websites; implement internet marketing strategies for enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) results; repair and provide support for computers of both residential and professional nature; build custom systems and servers, and offer secure data backups. Need assistance or want to learn more? Call us at 810-224-5252 or e-mail info@cpsmi.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

Thursday, December 10, 2020

2020’s Hot Gadget: The Computer

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many people to hunker down inside, spending time in front of various screens. From TVs to tablets, many of us have resorted to this form of entertainment to pass the time. Countless people now work from home instead of heading into an office…which means even more screen time. The days of picking out school outfits are gone, too, as thousands of students across the world are now attending class online.

One gadget answering the call, both figuratively and literally, those dusty computers and laptops have become even more essential to our lives. Computers have experienced a spike in popularity, as many of us are typing, clicking, scrolling, and (definitely) paying attention in class. Our daily activities have morphed from physical to socially-distanced, a change our computers and laptops can seamlessly integrate and accommodate.

As we all garner a renewed appreciation for our personal computers, their adaptability is what truly stands the test of time.

International Data Corporation (IDC) reported that the first half of 2020 saw a resurgence in the PC and tablet markets. Supply cannot keep up with demand, primarily driven by pandemic lockdowns and remote working/learning. It is predicted that the market will expand by 3.3 percent, with shipment volumes climbing to 425.7 million units.

To read more, peruse The New York Times article. For all of your computer questions or troubleshooting issues, contact the PC experts at Creative Programs and Systems.

Founded in 1994, Creative Programs and Systems provides professional results for all computer needs. We design, create, and code an array of custom software programs and websites; implement internet marketing strategies for enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) results; repair and provide support for computers of both residential and professional nature; build custom systems and servers, and offer secure data backups. Need assistance or want to learn more? Call us at 810-224-5252 or e-mail info@cpsmi.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.