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There's one piece of proprietary software that I really, really hate. But I need it: Flash. If I use it, am I selling out my free software principles?
Face it, Flash-based web sites are awful. They take ages to load, they aren't properly interactive in the way that HTML ones are and I have no control over how I view the content.
Normally, when a web site sends me content, it's up to me and my browser to decide how I view or deal with that content. Flash tries to deny me that right.
Flash is an evil horrid, proprietary mess and I don't like sites that use it because they ruin my browsing experience.
There is one area where I can't get rid of it, though.
That is video. If you want to be part of the modern world, you can't deny yourself access to YouTube. Using YouTube, means using Flash. Using Flash, therefore, is essential if you want to stay connected.
Refusing to use Flash, on principle, is just a step too far for me at the moment.
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