# Flash performance on *BSD?



## Pioneer (Sep 4, 2011)

Hi all, I'm trying to decide on a desktop OS while my new laptop is on its way. I've always really loved FreeBSD ideals and docs but I kept reading that Flash is not really supported.

I know there's a wrapper, and I guess that means emulation (don't flame me :stud). How does Flash perform, for example on YouTube videos, compared to it's native Linux counterpart?

Is it much worse? Because the laptop I am getting is not very powerful and by specs, it will barely be enough to run 720p Flash on Linux


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## wblock@ (Sep 4, 2011)

Flash on FreeBSD is the native Linux version, run through the not-an-emulator Linuxolator.  It seems pretty good now.  If the video drivers are fast enough, it should be fine.  I've used various Radeons with success, although some others have ongoing problems which I have not experienced.  There's a lot of talk about how great nVidia's binary drivers are, but people have trouble with them sometimes also.

If the new system is Sandy Bridge with the built-in video, only vesa works at present.  Flash video is going to be slow with vesa.  New Intel video drivers are under development but aren't in wide testing yet.


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## Zare (Sep 4, 2011)

It's actually better.


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## Pioneer (Sep 4, 2011)

Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to find how to install video drivers on the handbook just to see if my GFX is supported (Intel X3100) and am not able to find it. Is installing video drivers not covered?


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## wblock@ (Sep 4, 2011)

The X Window System shows how to install and configure.  Searching on the forum shows Intel X3100 should work.

Rather than install and configure it all yourself, consider PC-BSD.


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## Pioneer (Sep 4, 2011)

I looked at that. Haven't had a chance to follow it yet because the laptop isn't here, but in Arch Linux for example, you would install the drivers separately, for example xf86-video-intel, but no such commands are presented in the handbook


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## davidgurvich (Sep 4, 2011)

I've used flash10 emulation on fairly old laptops without much problem.  There's other issues with FreeBSD on laptops but flash video isn't one of them.


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## wblock@ (Sep 4, 2011)

Pioneer said:
			
		

> I looked at that. Haven't had a chance to follow it yet because the laptop isn't here, but in Arch Linux for example, you would install the drivers separately, for example xf86-video-intel, but no such commands are presented in the handbook



Video drivers are installed when xorg is installed.


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## vermaden (Sep 4, 2011)

Pioneer said:
			
		

> Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to find how to install video drivers on the handbook just to see if my GFX is supported (Intel X3100) and am not able to find it. Is installing video drivers not covered?



Intel X3100 is supported very well, I used it for a long time without any issues, You just need *pkg_add -r xorg* and all the drivers will be there 

... and the performance of Flash on FreeBSD is very good, some say even better then on native Linux, but I havent tried Linux since long time so I cannot tell.


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## Zare (Sep 5, 2011)

The fact that already shitty API / framework is wrapped in container, and no ALSA, makes it even better.


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## zjf (Oct 11, 2011)

When I had installed Firefox and want to get Adobe Flash plugin next, however, how to get www/nspluginwrapper and www/linux-f10-flashplugin10 by pkg_add?


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## DutchDaemon (Oct 11, 2011)

Follow the links in your own post. Proper formatting would have revealed them.


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