Can we fire the crappy Adobe web developers?

[445669988415879]

OK, so maybe that title got some attention.  Seriously though, what is wrong with these guys.  It is not just the Adobe web developers -- it seems to be about the whole lot of them!  But let me confine my comments to the crappy job Adobe web guys have done that makes downloading Adobe difficult for users.

Like everybody else, I have a pop-up blocker.  Go to www.flash.com and try to download Adobe flash.  The web develoepers did such a lousy design job that the download pop-up gets blocked AND the page is immediately re-directed to an "instruction" sheet that blows away the IE option to temporarily allow the pop-up.  Sure, sure if I switch over to Firefox or Opera it might work.  Should I really need to bring up a different browser to download Flash?

No big deal, says I.  Back to the download page, hold down Crtl-ALT and click the download button again.  NO DICE, because again the web developers did such a pitiful job the download button will not work when holding down the normal "bypass popup blocker" key sequence.

Of course these same clueless web developers did not think to provide a direct download link on the instructios page they so kindly created for the totally incompetent explaining how to click "run" and such with so many pretty screen-shots (which, oh by the way, don't apply to all operating systems... so will probably end up confusing people who actually need that level of help.  Unless of course these web developers made the site OS aware and got so wrapped up in their geeky useless stuff that they managed to overlook the basic functionality they were supposed to provide).

COME ON PEOPLE!  I should not have to manually turn off my pop-up blocker to download your software!  Please get the basics down before geeking out on stuff users don't care about!  I would rather have a simple, ugly link that WORKS than a full multimedia experience I have to fight with!

Is it just me, or do other people feel this way?  Please chime in and let's tell the way-too-smart-for-their-own-good web developers that we don't appreciate all of the "cool" stuff at sacrifice of simple functionality.

[josh_dura]

I'm sorry you are having trouble installing Flash Player. Unfortunately, we don't have any control over the popup blockers for various browsers. If you would like a direct download to the players, you can find one at the link below...

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/191/tn_19166.html#main_More_solutions

[445669988415879]

What a crock. Sorry, guy, but I am very technical. I know exactly what you

can and what you can not do on a website. I also know that there are very

simple methods for designing with all of the mainstream popup blockers in

mind.

So your scripted response may placate the non-technical masses. But those

of us who know better understand exactly what a poor job has been done on

your download site. I can give you 4 methods to fix the site right off the

top of my head! I won't do so because certainly any web developer capable

of creating your site knows just as much as I do about making this stuff

work.

The problem is not lack of technical knowledge. It is more fundamental -

and honestly what many programmers struggle with. Getting into the shoes of

the users. Getting out of geek mode and into usability mode. I mean hey,

it is fun to build all of the gizmos, not so much fun to add basic links.

As far as getting the download goes, I already have it. My point is that I

shouldn't have had to go through multiple steps. One very simple fix is to

just put the direct link onto the final instructions sheet. This is the

route web developers have selected for many other download sites.

So rather than sending me bogus answers, why don't you send my comments to

the people who manage the web development team. That is where the problem

will get fixed.

Thanks!

[pwillener]

First, you don't need to be rude to people who are trying to help on this forum.

Second, you are posting in the Flash Player forum, where the Flash Player engineers can help users with Flash Player problems.

If you want to comment on the Adobe website, do it here http://forums.adobe.com/community/general/adobedotcom_feedback

Finally, direct downloads for Flash Player installers can be found here in the FAQ http://forums.adobe.com/thread/909550