difference between adobe shockwave and flash player

i am on a dell optiplex 330, windows pro XP/SP3, IE. Thanks for whatever help anyone can provide. Right now i just need to know whether i've wrecked my computer, if i should try to undo what i've done, what have i done, should i or does if it matter if i have both of these programs on my computer at once, and any other issues that more knowledgeable people can tell i need to be asking about but am too tech- unsavvy to know to include. 10.2.154.25, although Google is likely to auto-update it soon, given their past speediness. (i've had some other problems too, but they are relatively different, so i'll address them in a separate discussion.) Adobe is urging all users to upgrade to the latest version Flash v. somehow, tho, i got directed into installing shockwave player 11.5.9.620 instead. I ask about the difference between these two applications because i have been trying to install a newer version of flash player i have 11.4.402.265 and am aiming for 11.4.402.278. Shockwave Player is a Web standard for powerful multimedia playback The Shockwave Player allows you to view interactive Web content like games business. At one point either Macromedia or Adobe conflated them by referring to. if it is not appropriate to post in more than one forum at a time, please tell me, then put this inquiry wherever you think it most applicable. Shockwave and Flash are two distinct technologies to achieve essentially the same thing. Second, i am cross-posting this Q in the 'adobe shockwave player' forum. i hope the kind and gracious people here will have mercy.

First, i am a newbie of long standing, and i apologize for my ignorance.

Difference between adobe shockwave and flash player