I don't often reboot my PC, but when I do, I tend to receive numerous messages about updates after logging back in. Today I was a bit surprised by a popup from Adobe that had never before seen. In my life, I've seen many, many updates for Adobe Flash.
I was never a big fan of practically being forced to perform these updates each time. But often serious security flaws had to be patched, so I still always kept performing these updates. I was, as many others probably, not sad at all when Adobe announced the end of life of Flash. Today, years later, that moment is apparently really near, as I've just found out. December 31 to be exact. It's not like I had the day marked in my calendar. I did, however, just saw my very, very last Adobe Flash popup after logging in.
This time it didn't want me to update, on the contrary. It kindly said some thank you words first, then it informed me that I should remove the software from my computer. I said my goodbyes in return when I was confronted with a webpage popping up when the uninstaller was done.
Like I said, I was never a big fan of Adobe's Flash product, and I won't lose any sleep over it when Adobe is going to pull the plug from the last remaining life-support system on December 31st. So, farewell Flash, we'll never meet again. Bye bye.
Adobe will be taking all Flash downloads offline, so now is the time to download some Flash installer files for the conceivable moment that at some point in the future I'll install Flash on a retro-machine and suddenly feel and behave all nostalgic about Flash. That 'll be the day...
In all fairness, I did enjoy happily consuming a lot of content over the years that wouldn't have ever existed if it wasn't for Flash. And I have to hand it to the guys over at Adobe, they did, like they state themselves, indeed play a major, important key role in the evolution process of web content, like animation, interactivity, audio & video. Basically the entire internet.
It has allowed a lot of virtual constructing online, and a whole generation of young artists and developers earned their living partially due to Flash. There is no denying that Adobe's influence has helped shape internet in to how it is today. Staring at this Adobe page that just popped up, I realized that my love/hate relationship with their product is finally over. I can now leave it behind me, as if it was a destructive relationship. I have now moved on. I'm already seeing other people apps. It's time to let go of the grudges and negativity associations, and remember only the good times.
I'm taking this opportunity to do a salute, to Adobe, and say to them: "Good job guys, well done. Thank you for being the creative visionaries that you are and for all your services."
