Flash 8.0 and 9.0 are not available for Linux. You can give feedback to the Adobe-Macromedia development team at Adobe Wish Form

While I don't know what Adobe is up to, it is worthwhile to note that many of the changes made from one flash player version to the next are not supported by all platforms, or rather, Adobe doesn't write support for it. They go where the majority of the market is. It would be utterly foolhardy to phase out Linux Flash, but keeping it a few versions behind saves on development costs for a platform that still has under 10% user base (I'm going to start a statistics war with that one). As another example, flash for the Pocket PC is still on version 6.

It doesn't hurt to write them and let them know you're interested in having a viewer capable of rendering flash 8 and 9 for Linux, though.

On another note, it would be nice to see Flash phased out altogether. What is the purpose of Web standards, or even the Web at all, if we are beholden to the proprietary garbage that is Flash?

As a web designer, I would say that it depends highly on how flash is used. It is not meant to, or indeed capable of, supplanting the web languages. If we wish to ditch flash because it is proprietary, then we should ditch .mp3, .mov, .wmv, and a score of other plugin formats that make the web media-rich.

What would be really interesting is to see SVG and other web methods pushed to the point where flash becomes outmoded...

Flash 8.5 for linux was announced 6 months ago (so if they're as "fast" as with Flash 7 for linux, it might be their in 2007):
http://weblogs.macromedia.com/emmy/a...isnt_there.cfm

I mostly dislike flash for its extreme low quality(the player/plugin) and speed. The huge amount of websites that are almost entirely in Flash are sadly still growing and by all means annoying. IMO their all crap and I will always keep avoiding them as much as possible.

I get the feeling that these wishes get sent to outer space.

see the link I posted above

Generally I agree with you. But there are exceptions.

I think there should be python "flash" plugin.

Perhaps SMIL will be the next flash. Check out a sample here. The main site is right here. Here's another site with information.

Its settled then. From this day forth sites should use SMIL to display animated content. Browsers will come with native integrated cross platform SMIL players.

I tried to go to a commercial site the other day and there was NOTHING there except the notice that I needed flash player 8. No contact, nothing.
Ok, it's my computer, no problem.
So I tried from work, apparantly they aren't concerned with updating that much, no problem, it's not necessary for work.
And so, I haven't bought anything from them.

I actually have flash 8 semi-working through cross-over plugin. Most movies have no problem playing. Places like youtube and myspace have no trouble. The problem is some sites seem go the extra step in detection. i.e www.comcast.net

14: The comcast one worked for me. Here's a site that did not: site someone linked in an odd chatroom I belong to. Disclaimer: I have no idea what is being portrayed there, besides a message for me to get Flash Player # 8.