The Firefox browser that you used to post here shows Shockwave Flash 10.3 r181 as being installed, in the More system details... to the right of your posting.

Type about:plugins in the Location bar and hit Enter.
Enabled Plugins = Does Shockwave Flash appear there?

Yes, Shockwave Flash does appear there; but not Adobe's regular Flash which I keep trying to install. Adobe lists them as being completely different programs. Do you think maybe having Shockwave is interferring with the installation of regular Flash? (I'd just disable Shockwave and try Flash again but some websites require Shockwave specifically; and then other websites require regular Flash; I wish they'd settle on one thing, sigh.)

In Firefox Plugins:

• Shockwave Flash is Abobe Flashplayer ( get.adobe.com/flashplayer )
  • originally Macromedia Flash; acquired by Adobe and they renamed to Shockwave Flash
  • see https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Adobe_Flash_Player
• Shockwave for Director is Adobe Shockwave Player ( get.adobe.com/shockwave/ )

Blame the confusion on Adobe for their choice of names.

I confess I'm still confused: if Shockwave Flash is the same thing as Flash Player, then why does Adobe have them designated as different downloads?

Because the are different products and load/use/display different types of files. You either have both installed because you have used websites that need one or the other, or you don't. Don't worry about why they are named the way they are named, that is Adobe's decision. Just accept the facts and go on with your life.

Shockwave Flash = Adobe Flashplayer

• used to play .flv video files, most notably
• http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/
• https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Adobe_Flash

Shockwave for Director = Shockwave Player

• used mostly for games (jigsaw puzzles, etc.)
• http://www.adobe.com/products/shockwaveplayer/
• https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Adobe_Shockwave

I think I understand finally; thanks for your help and your patience, much appreciated. (Now I gotta figure out why a website keeps telling me I'm having problems because I "don't have the latest version of Flash installed", sigh.)

@officerripley:

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