The random utterances of David Arno

Adobe show how not to do auto-updaters

Wed 3rd October, 2012 | Category: Flash

I haven’t done any Flash development for a while. As a result, I no longer need a debug version of the Flash player installed on my PC. So I installed the non-debug version and enabled the auto-update feature. Then recently, a new version of the Flash player was released and this updater kicked into action. The result is, not to beat about the bush, a complete farce. The following is a set of screen shots of this “automatic” process in action. Enjoy…

stage 1

Stage 1: I’m informed of the update. Time to download…

Stage 2

Oh hang on, I wasn’t downloading, it was a link to website. Oh and it wants me to install some McAfee crap too. That’s not nice.

Stage 3

Ah, now we have the update. Time to install (without McAfee!)

Stage 4

OK, so it didn’t install automatically. I now have to run the download.

Stage 5

Hang on, downloading? So I didn’t download the update, I downloaded an update downloader! WTF is going on here?

Stage 6

Wow, finally the “automatic” update is installed. Another button to click though…

Stage 7

Well roger me with a barge pole: the update is finally installed. Seriously Adobe, sort this shit out.


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5 Comments so far

  1. Luuk October 8th, 2012 16:28

    Tell me again how this free software that gets continuous updates and is downloaded on your pc in a way such that you can verify the secure source is so shitty. O and how inconvenient that your OS asks you to confirm the execution of a binary you just downloaded on the web.

  2. David Arno October 9th, 2012 17:25

    @Luuk, try Chrome. It effortlessly auto-updates the flash player properly, without trying to force McAfee stuff upon me. Everything else is shitty by comparison.

  3. Justin November 5th, 2012 20:38

    rotflmao – thanks! I needed that!

  4. Fuad Kamal November 18th, 2012 14:21

    David, the Flash updater isn’t alone…it seems every piece of software updating software from Adobe is completely ludicrous lately. Check this out for Acrobat X / Creative Suite CS6 http://forums.adobe.com/message/4814115#4814115
    The “workaround” from Adobe is the real indicator of how bad this #FAIL is

  5. Richard Haven December 4th, 2012 18:06

    Chrome updates the Flash Player its way, which happens to break AIR badge updates.

    Firefox actually installs what Adobe gives it, which is why it follows a secure and visible security protocol.

    Cheers