Microsoft to distribute Flash Player in XP
Not too long ago, I went on a bit of a tirade against Microsoft for failing to deliver the Flash plugin with the basic installation of Internet Explorer for Windows. After all, if it could happen on the Windows platform, the same fate couldn't be far off for the Mac platform either. But now (as of last week) Microsoft and Macromedia say Flash Player 5 will be distributed with the Microsoft Windows XP operating system, which is scheduled for worldwide availability Oct. 25.
Microsoft Internet Explorer, of course, has become the dominant Web browser, and the exclusion of the Flash player from the basic installation of IE for Windows had some serious implications. What tipped me off to it was an incident a few months ago in which I downloaded IE 5 for the Mac, and the Flash Player failed to load. I installed it again; same thing.
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