Flash 8 startup makes a URL call

Posted on June 26, 2006 | 6 comments

I just noticed that when you start up Flash 8 Professional that it makes a call to a macromedia.com URL.

http://www.macromedia.com/go/startpageflpro?api=1&lvl=1&ver=8.0.0&p…

This call then goes and makes some other calls:
http://www.adobe.com/go/startpageflpro?api=1&lvl=1&ver=8.0.0&p…
http://www.adobe.com/startpage/flpro_content/flpro_customize.xml
http://www.adobe.com/startpage/om_acct_nm.txt
http://www.adobe.com/startpage/flpro_content/flashpro_800_content.xml

Interesting, they can customize the open page off the web. Hmmm… I didn’t know that.

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  • Johnny

    Thanks for the post, now I know why I can’t open flash 8 when the Internet is down!

    Thanks,
    Johnny

  • Mark

    I am sure the primary reason for the calls is to check and make sure it is not a prirated copy. I hope they start prosecuting software thieves. A thief is a thief in my book.

  • http://dreamdrummer.com/ Erki Esken

    I don’t believe they send any personal information with those requests, so pirate catching isn’t the primary goal. Macromedia Licensing Service is for that.

    But it does give them nice stats on app usage like how often you start Flash. And lets them push upsell messages to you. I’ve seen ads for their online courses etc.

    Hmm, I checked and they also do requests to their web analytics provider at http://192.168.112.2O7.net/. That gives even nicer usage stats probably, across your desktop app and their website visits.

  • http://www.renaun.com Renaun Erickson

    Yeah I also believe its more for usage and customization then something evil. It probably works fine if you are not connected to the internet (not sure what Johnny is running into). Maybe I should try opening Flash 8 unplugged.

  • http://weblogs.macromedia.com/jd John Dowdell

    It’s indeed the “Start Page” which makes the initial network request, to see if documentation or other resources can be updated. You can turn off the Start Page in the Preferences.

    There’s one situation where these screen updates can appear to prevent the app from opening, where your machine has a non-functioning Internet Protocol address:
    http://www.adobe.com/go/47a026b2

    The “activation” of a serial number after the 30-day trial is a one-time event, which you can trigger online or handle by phone, and is not connected to this startup request.

  • http://www.renaun.com Renaun Erickson

    Thanks John for the explanation.