Gnash is an open source, free software application that enables users to play Flash movies.
In the world of software, there have been many proprietary flash players that have emerged over the years. However, the problem with these players is that they are not free and often come with limitations. With GNU Gnash, this is not the case anymore. It is a free and open-source software that allows users to play flash movies with much more ease than before.
Based on GameSWF, the GNU Gnash player supports many SWF v7 features, which was previously not possible with any of the free flash players. Building the software is not difficult, but to build it, one must have the Mozilla or Firefox development packages installed. Additionally, you must have the OpenGL and SDL development packages installed as well.
The installation process is simple and straightforward, but it is important to ensure that you have the correct packages installed. While building Gnash, you will also learn that the software does not come with the full Mozilla/Firefox sources. Instead, only the basic Mozilla SDK files are included.
However, if you already have Firefox or Mozilla installed, you will be happy to know that the plugin for Gnash gets installed in the plugin directory of the same Firefox that is in your path. Moreover, explicit paths to the Mozilla SDK can be specified by using the --with-firefox, --with-firefox-libraries, or --with-firefox-headers options during configuration.
Although the functionality of the plugin is limited at this time, development of the plugin is ongoing. Therefore, we have high hopes for the future of GNU Gnash that could potentially increase its functionality. Despite this limitation, one can use the standalone version of the software for a better user experience.
In summary, GNU Gnash is an excellent flash player that supports many advanced features not found in other free flash players. While the software has some limitations, it is excellent for playing flash movies with ease, as well as being free and open-source. With some development, there is potential for GNU Gnash to become even better in the future.
Based on GameSWF, the GNU Gnash player supports many SWF v7 features, which was previously not possible with any of the free flash players. Building the software is not difficult, but to build it, one must have the Mozilla or Firefox development packages installed. Additionally, you must have the OpenGL and SDL development packages installed as well.
The installation process is simple and straightforward, but it is important to ensure that you have the correct packages installed. While building Gnash, you will also learn that the software does not come with the full Mozilla/Firefox sources. Instead, only the basic Mozilla SDK files are included.
However, if you already have Firefox or Mozilla installed, you will be happy to know that the plugin for Gnash gets installed in the plugin directory of the same Firefox that is in your path. Moreover, explicit paths to the Mozilla SDK can be specified by using the --with-firefox, --with-firefox-libraries, or --with-firefox-headers options during configuration.
Although the functionality of the plugin is limited at this time, development of the plugin is ongoing. Therefore, we have high hopes for the future of GNU Gnash that could potentially increase its functionality. Despite this limitation, one can use the standalone version of the software for a better user experience.
In summary, GNU Gnash is an excellent flash player that supports many advanced features not found in other free flash players. While the software has some limitations, it is excellent for playing flash movies with ease, as well as being free and open-source. With some development, there is potential for GNU Gnash to become even better in the future.
What's New
Version 0.8.6: N/A