Mozilla tweaks Firefox "What's new?" page to check for outdated Flash plugin

Keeping your system is about more than running automatic updates to your OS. It also means keeping applications current - and they plugins they use since those have become a favorite target for exploits.
Plugins like Adobe's Flash Player. To that end, the crew at Mozilla have come up with a thoughtful tweak to the Firefox 'What's New?' landing page that will help keep future users running the latest (and hopefully most secure) version of the Flash plugin.
Any time you upgrade or install Firefox from now a few lines of Javascript code on the first run page check your current Flash version. A notice like the one above will recommend a prompt update if you're running behind, so it's quite likely that recent upgraders to Snow Leopard are going to see it.
Yes, Flash Player is supposed to keep itself updated automatically. However, plenty of users disable the update feature and it never hurts to offer another reminder just in case.
[via H Online]
Plugins like Adobe's Flash Player. To that end, the crew at Mozilla have come up with a thoughtful tweak to the Firefox 'What's New?' landing page that will help keep future users running the latest (and hopefully most secure) version of the Flash plugin.
Any time you upgrade or install Firefox from now a few lines of Javascript code on the first run page check your current Flash version. A notice like the one above will recommend a prompt update if you're running behind, so it's quite likely that recent upgraders to Snow Leopard are going to see it.
Yes, Flash Player is supposed to keep itself updated automatically. However, plenty of users disable the update feature and it never hurts to offer another reminder just in case.
[via H Online]












Comments
7
Subscribe to commentsMoney MikeSep 4th 2009 3:30PM
I was surprised to see that you don't have a direct link to the page in question anywhere, but I was finally able find it buried in the page that you linked to.
Here's what I don't understand. When I go to the page, it tells me "You’re running an unknown version of Firefox. For security reasons, we recommend downloading the latest and greatest version."
I have version 3.5.3 and I don't know if that's a beta version or not, but when I go to http://getfirefox.com, it shows that the current version is 3.5.2, so I can't be too far off. How can it be an unknown version?
Money MikeSep 4th 2009 3:31PM
Oh, and here's that link that I had a hard time finding:
http://en-us.www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/3.5.3/whatsnew/
iofthestormSep 5th 2009 2:25PM
You might have gotten on a beta upgrade channel instead of the release one somehow, and so you might have gotten 3.5.3 a little earlier than normal.
Money MikeSep 5th 2009 11:34PM
I don't mind using betas, so that's entirely possible. If I am using a beta, though, then I don't understand what version is supposed to be the standard at the moment. Like I said, http://getfirefox.com is showing the current, standard version as 3.5.2., but I actually have 3.5.2 installed on one of my other setups at home (which I'm currently on) and it still tells me "You’re running an unknown version of Firefox. For security reasons, we recommend downloading the latest and greatest version."
The other odd thing is that I can't seem to upgrade to 3.5.3 on this other setup with 3.5.2. It's like that version has somehow disappeared.
NonameSep 4th 2009 3:38PM
On Firefox 3.5.2 the page display :
You’re running an unknown version of Firefox.
For security reasons, we recommend downloading the latest and greatest version.
shibathedogSep 4th 2009 10:14PM
The auto-installer doesn't work for me. No matter how many times I install flash and restart with it I remain stuck on the version I had before. It even says it works but it doesn't. If you have this problem use the regular installer here:
http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/install_flash_player.exe
and verify installed version here:
http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/155/tn_15507.html
Money MikeSep 5th 2009 11:48PM
Why does the comment system still perform so horribly? It's the buggiest thing I've ever used. I'm very much in the habit of copying my entire comment before hitting submit and it's so friggin' annoying!
Most of the time, the comment does not go through, so I have to try again.
Sometimes, I even get an message that says:
"You did it! An e-mail has been sent to confirm your e-mail address. Click on the link within the e-mail to activate your comment!" I've been submitting comments for a while now, so that doesn't make any sense. To add insult to injury, that email never comes through.
The last possibility - though rare - is that my comment actually gets submitted. It usually takes multiple attempts and a lot of patience for it to happen. Having it happen on the first attempt? That's about as likely the Detroit Lions winning a game.
No, it doesn't matter if I use Firefox, Chromium, or IE (which is extremely rare, but yes - I have tried). Is there a browser that "Weblogs, Inc." recommends? I would have thought it was Firefox.