Flash or Not to Flash?

[ather143]

Compnay should know more about audience and the important thing is the purpose of the site.

<mod note: I brought this back to the top because I think it is a viable discussion these days and I will be adding more content to this forum to grow its user base. I would love to here the current forum users’ perceptions on this topic. - ghstdrgns>

Do designers really pay attention to audience and companies when they decide if they should use Flash or Static HTML.

Should companies lean more towards Technology or should they lean toward audience and purpose?

[flashfast]

flash files become very large when graphics are imported

Not true. I'd suggest using Freworks to 'optimize' bitmaps and then import to flash. Bitmaps can really enhance a web presentation - there's no reason thery can't be a few k in size. Also too many vector elements in Flash can slow the processor and even cause freezing. Sure, they are small in size, but vector calculation really chews into a processor e.g I'm using a new mac G4 1.4G processor and I still have to design elements on the stage not to overload the processor and slow down the intended frame rate.

To the main question of this sticky. It's not a real conundrum - it's like asking if apples are better than oranges on a table. Why not use both - html and flash. People love Flash, they also like static images, they like plain html text etc. So give em apples, oranges and throw in some pears!

As for SEO - my site scores first 10 rankings on Google, Yahoo and MSN. None of them have seemed to regard flash as detrimental to their database results.

It's not common sense to use one and not the other. Flexibility is the key to success - don't weigh yourself down.

[greeneagle]

Flash augments a Site very nicely. For visitor appeal it can go a long way, saying many words in motion, such as demonstrating how a product works.

Content depth and uniqueness are always going to be KING. Sure Google indexes Flash, but most Flash sites are poorly designed for the SEs.

An what about the need for "static textural internal links"?

IMO - Our only use for FLASH is augmentation like we used for this client (notice that we had to play some serious games to get the site to validate):

www.tubeltechnologies.com

Why don't more developers mix HTML and Flash to serve both viewers and SEs?

Ken

[greeneagle]

Validating HTML with Flash embedded:
http://www.w3schools.com/flash/flash_inhtml.asp
Ken

[RadarCat]

I think things like loading time and stuff has become less of an issue now that more and more people have broadband internet though.

Maybe if you live in a big city, but for those of us on the edge of nowhere in rural areas, downloading at 26.4 Kbps is FAST with the old clunky telephone equipment that we have to put up with if we can't afford a $99/month satellite internet hookup. The guy that owns our local ISP here in the Texas Hill country downloads at 12 Kbps at his home!

I rarely go back to a site with Flash unless it is of extreme utility.

[MarcGrobman]

I LOVE Flash but discourage most of my clients from using it extensively. Search engines don't do a good job of indexing it. And I really dislike intros unless they are incorporated into the main site navigation.

At the same time, I think complete Flash sites have their place when glitz is the highest priority. And, if the budget is there, Search Engines can be fully accommodated with a mirror HTML website.

We just completed this site, and it is even over-the-top for my taste. We just could not have done this without Flash. Once we complete the alternate HTML site, it should do well with Search Engines too....

http://www.curtisadams.com

I agree that Flash sites do not have to take long to download. Stuffing them with video and music creates that problem. But there are lots of great uses of Flash that come from very small files.

[etechsupport]

I think flash has its browser limitations, most flash sites tend to leave you looking at a "loading..." animation. The question, though: is it better to have one very long wait while an entire site downloads, or a very shorter waits every time you click?

[robjean]

Why not give your users a choice ??
A simple landing page with 2 links.

Flash or no Flash.

Just a thought.

RobJean.

[mymusic1234]

I personally don't like a lot of flash if it's the first thing you are going to see, simply because of loading speed.
There is nothing more annoying than a black page saying loading.......
I visited a site like that today and quickly left.
Flash for presentations maybe, or as part of a page where you can read text while the flash is loading.
Dialup is still very common and designers need to realise this.

[kelownaPhoto]

After learning javascript in school I learned Flash, it was like a breath of fresh air, I still use HTML, but only for pages that contain Flash.
I am aware of the limitations and the potential loss of viewers, they are not the market I am trying to reach, and I only want clients that need the same.
I hate watching now loading movie clips, and they just use up bandwith in my opinion.
I build everything to load quickly, but some of my pages are getting big.
I have been able to get top listings on several keywords, and have improved from #21 to #10
for kelowna photographer thanks to tips on webproworld.
http://www.uniquephotoanddesign.com