Adobe is taking further steps in its Flash-dismantling
process scheduled to take place by the end of 2020, and said users should
uninstall it long before the end-of-life date.
Removing Flash from online content is a long and
complicated process that has taken years, but the end is finally approaching
for this piece of software. It’s been a cornerstone for websites for so many
years, but that journey will be over at the end of 2020.
The implementation of HTML5, WebGL, and WebAssembly made
Flash obsolete, but it was so widespread that pulling the plug quickly would
have been impossible. The official announcement came way back in July 2017, and
you can still find Flash-powered websites today. It’s very likely that some
websites will continue to use Flash after the December 31 deadline, but
browsers won’t allow users to view them.
Adobe added some information
to the Flash Player EOL information page, letting people know what exactly will
happen after the EOL date.
“Adobe will be removing Flash Player download pages from
its site and Flash-based content will be blocked from running in Adobe Flash
Player after the EOL Date,” reads the website.
“We recommend that all users uninstall Flash Player
before the EOL. Users will be prompted by Adobe to uninstall Flash Player on
their machines later this year and Flash-based content will be blocked from
running in Adobe Flash Player after the EOL Date.”
Even with all the warnings, many users will likely continue
to keep Flash and its components installed for a long time, leaving them open
to possible exploits. Hopefully, developers and webmasters will migrate their
content, hastening the end of Flash and its glorious era.