Adobe Flash on Linux -- Why still broken?

mwilliamson writes: "As I sit reading my morning paper online I still cannot view the embedded videos due to auto-detection of my flash player not working. Every 3 or 4 Youtube videos crashes my browser. I remember sometime back reading that Adobe has a very small development team (possibly only one) working on the Linux port of Flash, then it dawns on me that Flash on Linux is the one major entry barrier controlling acceptance of Linux as a viable operating system on the desktop. No matter how stable, smooth, flashy, efficient and correct Linux runs on a machine, the public will continue to view it as second rate if Flash keeps crashing. This is worst example of being tied down and bound by a crappy 3rd party product in which no Linux distribution has a bit of control over. GNASH is nice, but just isn't there 100%.

I really do have to suspect the source Adobe's motivation to keep Flash on Linux in such a deplorable state."