If you installed the flash player by installing the restricted codes in
Synaptic. It should not crash. However, to cure that is simple too. Just go to
Mozzilla web site and install Flash Blocker. Most of the flash is for
advertising any ways. So if you are at YouTube.com you click on the play arrow
and it will start playing that video.

On my main Ubuntu machine I rarely get a
flash-caused Firefox crash. Yet with another
that has Ubuntu Studio, it crashes more
than it stays open, but that machine has
had other quirks with Linux and the dual
boot xp. Another machine with PCLOS only
crashes every once in a while.

I'm thinking of going back to FF 2.0 to see
if it stabilizes on my U-Studio box.

I've tried the following, and to no avail on the standard-issue Desktop
CD-installed Xubuntu 8.04 desktop OS

1. dumping/purging all FLASH-related plugins, helpers, including Adobe's and
GNASH.

2. tried looking (in synaptic) for restricted codes AND flash, but the search
process just simply shows "adobe plugin nonfree" or something like that.
Which when installed, does jack sh*t.

3. A few sites recommended getting the plugin from adobe site, so I did.

--and now in my "Add-ons" menu there are 2 Shockwave helpers, where you can now
"enable/disable" on or both- (try using the newest one, flash doesn't work,
older one works but this / was/ will be the problematic crashy-pants one).

Firefox performance is just crap - bordering on super-unstable on youtube, but
on my personal site, I have movies made with flash 5 so it works fine. I think
perhaps the latest plugin (from Adobe, or from the repository) simply isn't up
to the task just yet.

When the plugin does `work`, the LARGE grey triangles are Annoying!
They would be somewhat tolerable if they went away instantly after clicking on
them,
but due to the performance issues, they don't. Oh well.. boo-hoo.

I am contemplating purging Firefox (won't lose bookmarks as I use Foxmarks).
Then I'll reinstall Firefox 3.x.

And if i really really really need to bother myself with the SUPERB
entertainment of Youtube et al,
then I'll simply use another browser.
Perhaps my luck will be better with Konqueror, or even Midori

Are you running in 64-bit or 32-bit? If you are running on an 64-bit OS, then
your problems are understandable as there is no 64-bit version of flash and you
need some help to get it working.

If you are running 32-bit Xubuntu your problem is not easy to explain. You need
restricted extras to match the version of Ubuntu. Don't search for restricted
codes, just restricted. They can found in the metapackages sections (there are
three of them) and they are specific, separate ones for Ubuntu, Kubuntu and
Xubuntu. You can install flash non-free separately if you want. You get more
with the restricted extras, Windows ttfs and multimedia codecs.

If you have installed Gnash, uninstall it by choosing Remove Completely in
Synaptic. You might want to remove other things that you installed and start
over.

If you are running the 64-bit version of Xubuntu then multimedia won't work
properly since there aren't any 64-bit versions (don't blame Linux since it is
the product of Adobe and they have not been forthcoming). With some fudging you
can get it to work, but this is not satisfactory for most people. You will find
other problems as well, with Real Audio and Quicktime. If you use multimedia a
lot then install the 32-bit version of Linux (any distro) on your 64-bit
computer. What you lose in speed you will gain in lack of frustrations.

To your questions: 32/64 bit arch -> I am running 32 bit

I will try again by completely removing things you mentioned
from synaptic, and
I don't blame Linux for this not working on my desktop.
In my original post, I noted that this works fine on my laptop,
where the differences (other than physical and hardware) are that
the laptop xubuntu OS was installed using ALternate Install CD.

Whether that is the reason it works on Laptop, remains to be seen, but I doubt
it.

An alternate point to consider in all this is ==>
The sooner that things work in all platforms (Mac, Win, Linux),
is the sooner that computer users will realize that for Free, you can have a
really great,
workable, functional Desktop environment of your choosing.

For instance...have you tried GNOME, and like KDE or XFCE better, that's great!

Tried XFCE and prefer the speed of Fluxbox? Go for it.
Want to mix & match [file mgrs, window mgrs,etc?] That'll work too! -- Choose
and ENJOY!
Want to experiment with a bunch of distros without writing/formatting the HD?
Sure thing - burn a live CD.


That sort of flexibility simply isn't anywhere near abundant on Windows or
Apple.


Shame on you Adobe, for I don't see any reason that this plugin's
functionality/stability should be so irksome to so many Linux/Firefox users.