Managing Flash in your browser

[tomos]

Managing Flash in your browser:

I gave up using Firefox [FF] & Pale Moon [PM] due to their very high CPU and/or memory usage when playing flash video (which problem was possibly with all video in-browser). What did work with FF/PM was setting the plugin to ask for permission, and of course, the FlashBlock extension.

Now I'm trying out Chrome and (SRWare) Iron.
Chrome plays video no matter what the plugin settings are (e.g. ask for permission makes no difference).
Iron, when set to ask for permission, simply wont work -- either right-click on video to allow plugin doesnt show correct context menu, or I end up with a page saying Ah snap! something went wrong ... Reload - reloading just starts the cycle again.

I'm wondering:

• is there any browser out there that manages Flash gracefully?
• And also, I suppose recommendations for managing it in Chrome/Iron (I know there are extensions, but still thought it worth starting the thread...).

[eleman]

Your best option is still Firefox (I use 32 bit ESR, not the latest shiniest coolest one) + flashblock + yesScript (for worst offenders) + adblock plus (or edge, whatever).

I know, memory use skyrockets upwards to 900 MB after a while, but the three add-ons I mentioned help keep it manageable.

[tomos]

Your best option is still Firefox (I use 32 bit ESR, not the latest shiniest coolest one) + flashblock

-eleman (June 15, 2015, 02:31 PM)

I installed Firefox ESR on laptop last night.
I had to disable Flashblock [FB] with it, in order to play YT videos - they showed with FB on, and thought about starting - but would not play properly.
Will check it again tonight, to see if that was just startup hiccups.

[Yesscript sounds good ]

Meanwhile Iron browser is okay with YT (I guess cause it's HTML5), but if a video is embedded in a page, it cannot even show the page :-/
I did change some settings (allowing disallowing various plugins) - will try and see if there's a default settings button...

[eleman]

I had to disable Flashblock [FB] with it, in order to play YT videos - they showed with FB on, and thought about starting - but would not play properly.

-tomos (July 06, 2015, 06:37 AM)

Flashblock has a whitelist. Add youtube in that list.

Also take a look at YouTube High Def to make youtube behave as you like, rather than as google likes.

[tomos]

will try those later -
thanks eleman

[MilesAhead]

Reading this thread I looked at my CPU while Flash Player was working.  High 90s.  I found that in Opera 64 bit version 12.x if I killed a bunch of my Tray Hotkey programs, it dropped down to 45 to 50 percent or so.  Seems like ReRun can use 14 or 15 percent by itself.

So when watching vids try killing off all the tray utilities.

[MilesAhead]

Just a side note, I was surprised to see Cyberfox just downloading a file was using over 90% CPU which settled down to about 60% while the file was still downloading.  Mustang browser with three instances of chrome.exe running used less CPU downloading the same file from the same page.  Cyberfox is x64 and mustang is x86 if that makes a difference.  It seems like lots of CPU usage to do not much lately.  Strange.

[tomos]

Just a side note, I was surprised to see Cyberfox just downloading a file was using over 90% CPU which settled down to about 60% while the file was still downloading.  Mustang browser with three instances of chrome.exe running used less CPU downloading the same file from the same page.  Cyberfox is x64 and mustang is x86 if that makes a difference.  It seems like lots of CPU usage to do not much lately.  Strange.

-MilesAhead (July 07, 2015, 07:13 AM)

MS have a chance to do something right with their new browser - if they take note of the troubles with all the others.
I mean I've even been trying IE lately - what with FF wanting to take over your machine completely if you watch a video; Chrome works better, but still needs a lot of resources, and really get's those fans going on lower specs machines.

[MilesAhead]

Just a side note, I was surprised to see Cyberfox just downloading a file was using over 90% CPU which settled down to about 60% while the file was still downloading.  Mustang browser with three instances of chrome.exe running used less CPU downloading the same file from the same page.  Cyberfox is x64 and mustang is x86 if that makes a difference.  It seems like lots of CPU usage to do not much lately.  Strange.

-MilesAhead (July 07, 2015, 07:13 AM)

MS have a chance to do something right with their new browser - if they take note of the troubles with all the others.
I mean I've even been trying IE lately - what with FF wanting to take over your machine completely if you watch a video; Chrome works better, but still needs a lot of resources, and really get's those fans going on lower specs machines.

-tomos (July 07, 2015, 07:32 AM)

Ordinarily when my Laptop gets to 99% charged it hangs there for about 5 minutes before reaching full charge.  Lately I noticed it staying at 99% for 1/2 hour.  I have been watching some of the Wimbledon tennis matches.  I didn't realize the video was pushing the CPU cores to the limit.  I'll have to make a point of using the old Opera 12.x 64 bit to watch them.

[eleman]

Here are a few adages I came to live by, as I have to rely on my computer for my livelihood:

• 32 bits beats 64 (except for the case of the OS). Maybe because of laziness at the time of compiling, or a lack of awareness of intricacies of 64 bit memory management, more often than not, the 64 bits version of a software which hitherto worked fine, will cause problems. There are some software which benefit from having or need more than 2 gigs of process memory, but browsers aren't among them.
• If your cpu (assuming it is not an Atom) utilization is more than 10% for any extended length of time, while you're not doing any cpu-intensive tasks, then there is definitely something wrong. Modern cpus like my 7 years old core 2 duo are capable of handling flash with just half a core. Check the processes to see which one is the culprit.
• If you aren't into graphic design or 3d rendering (or some other memory-hog profession), you most probably don't need more than 4 gigs of ram. If you are regularly running out of free memory, then there is, once again, definitely something wrong. Check the processes to see which one is the culprit.
• If you feel the need to try 5 obscure rebranded firefox or chromium versions, the problem is definitely not about the browser. Neither the 6th, nor the 7th weirdly named fox will help.
• Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things. --Elise Boulding

[MilesAhead]

It seems the major culprit was ToolWiz TimeFreeze 2016.  When I open TM it always shoots up to 98% but without TWTF it settles down to 11% with Mustang browser open with a few tabs not doing much.  I found out Macrium Reflect 6 works!  I made the mistake of using the built in Windows thing to update the video driver.  Bad news.  System restore never worked right on this machine.  Without it I booted safe mode and deleted the video driver.  I got everything back until I restored the registry.  Back to square one.  Next time I booted Safe Mode it started reinstalling the system and hosed my accounts.  I had to lay on the Macrium image to get running again.

I am starting to think my pals at Best Buy unloaded an "open box" PC on me.