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[[Image:Gnash 0.8.5.jpg|thumb|Gnash Flash plugin running in [[Mozilla Firefox]] 3.1 beta2]]
'''Gnash''' is a free browser plugin and stand-alone player for Adobe Flash files. It is released under the GNU General Public License and it is a ''"high priority"'' FSF project.

== Stand-alone usage ==

 gnash /var/www/vhosts/default/htdocs/404.swf

== Browser plugin features ==

Newer version of gnash do play video files at video sites such as YouTube just fine.

== 100% CPU hogging ==

There has been numerous reports that gnash hugs the CPU. This is true, more so if it is compiled with opengl.

Version 0.8.5_p20081028 appears to use the ''least'' amount of CPU when it is 

 X agg doc ffmpeg gtk neon nsplugin speex -cairo -cygnal -fb -gnome -gstreamer -kde '

Gnash can use '''cairo''', '''agg''' OR '''opengl''' (only one) for rendering and '''ffmpeg''' OR '''gstreamer''' as a media backend.

It appears that the opengl rendering is specially CPU-hogging and it makes gnash so slow that it is impossible to play videos close to smooth when opengl support is compiled in. It also seems that using the Anti-Grain Geometry (agg) rendering engine is a very good idea.

Ubuntu users have reported that gnash slows their systems down to the point where they become unusable. Ubuntu users may want to compile gnash themselves rather than use the official packages.

The Fedora Project insists on using the gstreamer backend due to some local patent laws in the fascist US regime. Distributions outside that corporate two-faced one-party-system police state appers to prefer using ffmpeg over gstreamer -- and the performance of ffmpeg is typically better.

== Developer involvement indicated ==

Gnash development was initially headed by software developer John Gilmore. Is is still part of the project. Rob Savoye is the current project head.

== Other related projects ==

[[swfdec]] is another free flash implementation with a completely different implementation. The projects work together on figuring out the flash standard and help each other in various ways even though the actual codebase is completely different.

== External links ==
* [http://www.gnashdev.org/ Primary Gnash website]
* [http://www.gnu.org/software/gnash/ Gnash at GNU Project]
* [http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gnash/ Gnash's Savannah Page]
* [http://lwn.net/Articles/166992/ FSF/GNU Press Release: FSF announces GNU Gnash - Flash Movie Player]


[[Category:2D graphics animation software]]
[[Category:Interpreters]]
[[Category:Media players]]
[[Category:Free media players]]
[[Category:GNU project software]]
[[Category:Adobe Flash]]
[[Category:High priority free software projects]]