Adobe Shockwave for Director Installer Availability

Question

Why must we visit this forum and browse through posts and answers in order to obtain the hyperlink to download the Shockwave "Full Installer"??
It would be so much easier if Adobe would get its act together and make downloads for Shockwave Player and for Shockwave for Director easily accessible from the home page instead of trying to enable Google to install Chrome on everyone's computer system and make it the default browser. During the update of the previous version, Google installed Chrome on my computer system and made it the default browser without ever asking permission to do that. When I uninstalled it, that did not restore my system to the way it was, and I had to spend time and effort to track-down the problems remaining in the Windows Directory. But that was then and this is now.
When I attempted to update Adobe Shockwave via the Mozilla Firefox "Plug-in Update Check" page, the installation failed because the dialog in which the user is asked permission to install Google Chrome and make it the default browser was displayed on the desktop, behind the windows that were opened for Firefox. Of course, there was no way to know why the whole process stalled, since Adobe's software installation personnel still do not have a clue to this day as to how to design and implement a procedure to effectively install and update their software on a Windows computer system.
After I abandoned the update and exited Firefox, I discovered the dialog, which was irrelevant at that point. I responded "no" and it vanished. So I attempted to update Shockwave again. However, its plug-in was already uninstalled from Firefox 26. Why would that be a problem, you ask?
It's a problem because the Shockwave plugin is required to download and install the update for the Shockwave plugin! The San Francisco Bay Area is replete with competent software people. Apparently either Adobe just doesn't hire them, or they don't want to work for Adobe.
There is an option to install the requisite plug-in (which is not named in the notice that a plug-in is required). Using it displays a Firefox dialog to install Adobe Shockwave Player. The installation was reported as successful, but the update still did not proceed. Then again, if the installation was done correctly, installing the "required plug-in" would in and of itself update Adobe Shockwave Player, would it not?
When I checked the Firefox plug-ins, Shockwave was still not present, even after exiting and re-starting Firefox. Why that was so I could not discern.
So the only solution, if it is a solution, is to run the "full" Adobe Shockwave for Director installer. Looking for access to it requires far too much time and effort. Why should anyone bother??

Answer 1

''3DogNight wrote:''
Should I try uninstalling Shockwave for Director first?
Not necessarily, but that could eliminate some potential problems, so I do recommend it.
# Go to http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/alternates/#sp
# Save the Shockwave Player Uninstaller somewhere handy, like the desktop.
# Save the Full Installer for Netscape¹. If you plan on using Shockwave for Director in Internet Explorer as well, also save the Full Installer for Internet Explorer/AOL¹.
# Exit all browsers.
# Run the uninstaller.
# Once the uninstallation has completed, run the full installer for Netscape.
# Once the installation for Netscape has completed, run the full installer for Internet Explorer.
¹ Although the links on the page currently say "Shockwave Player 11", they point to the latest version, which at the moment is 12.0.7.148.