Firefox currently can play HTML5 clips. But to play any others you need to get a plugin.

ErictheGreen said

and I don't want to keep updating firefox to play them

It's the plugins that need to be kept up to date.

Flash Player Note: Windows users should download the active_x for Internet Explorer. and the plugin for Plugin-based browsers (like Firefox).

Note: Windows 8 and Windows 10 have built-in flash players and Adobe will cause a conflict. Install the plugin only. Not the active_x.

Flash Player Version: 24.0.0.194

https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ Direct link scans current system and browser Note: Other software is offered in the download. <Windows Only>

https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/otherversions/ Step 1: Select Operating System Step 2: Select A Version (Firefox, Win IE . . . .) Note: Other software is offered in the download. <Windows Only>

See if there are updates for your graphics drivers https://support.mozilla.org/kb/upgrade-graphics-drivers-use-hardware-acceleration

The installer won't run. The links on the page referred to did not work or did not provide info.

ErictheGreen said

The installer won't run. The links on the page referred to did not work or did not provide info.

Please explain in detail.

Don't know what else there is to say. I download the flash program, click on it, and it just sits there.

When you posted the question it seemed you did not have Flash Player installed.

• This is a link to the help article: Install the Flash plugin to view videos, animations and games
  • Please try to explain where you run in to a problem when following those instructions
• This is a test page https://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/
  • Please post a screenshot of that page as seen from Firefox once FlashPlayer is installed. (See also How do I create a screenshot of my problem? )

Possibly you have security related software that is blocking install or use of FlashPlayer.

Please see if FlashPlayer once installed works ok when you use Firefox in its safe mode

• Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode

Please test that with both a video clip and the test site. What happens ?

On the help article, which I had already read, only #8 seems to apply to me. 8. Is the Flash Player's ADM installer not launching?

I do not have a camera; I can't do screenshots.

I have a flash player for facebook enabled as an add on. It has a 1 star rating. It says that it's #49. On this page https://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/ it said I have version 21. Despite having this add-on, the videos do not play.

I got rid of it, closed firefox, opened it again and installed the flash player for facebook again. Same thing happens. It installs but does not run.

I will try the "safe mode," but I doubt that's an issue. (no, it makes no difference)

Why is it that no-one seems to be in charge of what happens on firefox? Why can't I write or complain to the people who make the decisions? Firefox should just play the videos.

On this page https://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/ it said I have version 21. Despite having this add-on, the videos do not play.

That's an old version from early last year! Firefox blocks older versions of Flash due to vulnerabilities that were fixed in newer versions. You need a Flash 24.x.x,x version for Firefox to use.

As far a creating a screenshot - that capability is built into Vista and into Firefox. John99 provided a link to a support article How do I create a screenshot of my problem?

and here it is again" https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-do-i-create-screenshot-my-problem

I know it's an older version. The problem is that firefox is not enabling the new version to run on vista, or adobe is not making it so it will run on vista, and firefox does not allow it to run like google chrome does.

Google chrome has its own issues now for me, so I wanted to make firefox my default browser. But firefox makes me jump through endless hoops and one of them is this endless problem about playing videos on facebook.

I don't see the issue with screen shots. That is not going to provide any more info than I have provided already. The problem is #8 on the troubleshooting page. https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/installation-problems-flash-player-windows.html It installs but will not run. No-one has provided any solution to this problem.

No-one at firefox can be contacted about problems except volunteers who don't make the decisions. The "support" page only leads to articles and forums like this one.