Is Flash considered wrong still to base a site off of?

[alkemyst]

People are seeming to lose track of companies that should not be designing pages or abuses of the technology, rather than the technology itself.

I used to avoid Flash, however now that I am getting flash-based ad popups, you can't help but feel perhaps it's not so uncommon anymore. Why would ad companies spend all this money on a new method of content delivery (for those that debate Flash cannot deliever content) if no one would see it.

My plan is to use it for mouse overs that will make for better menus and navigation....incorporate some sound if they want, and some eyecandy. My sites are usually content full and the delivery of that content can definitely be improved (most specifications and statisics in large lists). I have been playing with php and css, etc...

However I agree a 5MB movie that you can skip anyway is pointless, even more frustrating when you can't skip it and it requires you to click on it once it is done. I will not have those at all on my site, unless they are in a media download section.

Anyone know of good commerical and non-commercial tools for design and implementation of Flash?

 

[CTho9305]

Originally posted by: Wozster
Yes!

well everyone seems to love homestar runner ...

That's because they have excellent content & it's free.

How about, "because it's a bunch of animated shorts, and there's no other way to do that with a reasonable file size"?

 

[CTho9305]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: 777php

Originally posted by: Soybomb
If a site is flash only I will just close it. I don't care how cute or cool your animation is, I don't want to watch it.

even this page? 2advanced

If I wanted to design a flash page, I would definitely make an additional HTML page for the flash haters.

While I would have to give that designer(s) props for developing a cool flash, it totally sucks as a webpage. My CPU was maxed, it took forever to get to the main menu, and everything is tiny. I don't even want to imagine what it would feel like if I were surfing on a modem and a craptastic P200.

I don't want to wait through a stupid flashy intro to see content or be able to navigate, and I don't want to have to click "Skip" to get passed an intro.

Originally posted by: ComputerMonkey
Go for it. If implemented correctly, Flash can be great. Unfortunately when most people hear the word Flash they think of pop-up ads and lame ass intro animations.

I prefer the minimalistic approach. IMO the best use of Flash is when the user doesn't know that it is there.

Agreed. HardwareAnalysis has a nice flash logo, which isn't obnoxious and looks cool.

 

[tm37]

like this?

I think that is fine although I cannot access my links on mt linux box because I haven'y yet installed flash.

 

[crypticlogin]

I always hated navigating the Lian-Li product page.

Groups that expand, then contract, then expan... no wait, not that one!

IMO, Flash can be a great complement to a site if you're competent, great as a site if you're a Flash/Web *god*, or a freakin' disaster if you're neither.

 

[dighn]

it sucks. annoying "cool" effects that only make you wait, how text scrolls etc it's horrible

 

[StageLeft]

An enterprise level site will never be based on flash. My take is that it's ok to have it to supplement the site but basic functionality should not rely on it.

flash is used only when you don't have any real content to put on a webpage or you want to make a really annoying ad.

Unfortunately that's true in most cases.

 

[isaacmacdonald]

Among the ad agencies I work with, the general rule of thumb is that flash is used only for marketing concepts or experiences, and not used for physical products.

I'd stick with CSS.

 

[CTho9305]

Originally posted by: tenchim
I always hated navigating the Lian-Li product page.

Groups that expand, then contract, then expan... no wait, not that one!

IMO, Flash can be a great complement to a site if you're competent, great as a site if you're a Flash/Web *god*, or a freakin' disaster if you're neither.

holy cRAP that's awful!

 

[isaacmacdonald]

Originally posted by: CTho9305

Originally posted by: tenchim
I always hated navigating the Lian-Li product page.

Groups that expand, then contract, then expan... no wait, not that one!

IMO, Flash can be a great complement to a site if you're competent, great as a site if you're a Flash/Web *god*, or a freakin' disaster if you're neither.

holy cRAP that's awful!

confirmed. that's not modern art, that's a PITA.

 

[toekramp]

i don't think so...people underestimate the power of flash

 

[Thraxen]

even this page? 2advanced

Heh... I like that site. I guess for those people without decent PCs or slow connections it sucks... works for me though.

 

[Dudd]

How about deusex.com I like it cause it gives the same look as the game itself.

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: Spencer278

Originally posted by: 777php

Originally posted by: Soybomb
If a site is flash only I will just close it. I don't care how cute or cool your animation is, I don't want to watch it.

even this page? 2advanced

If I wanted to design a flash page, I would definitely make an additional HTML page for the flash haters.

looks like crap all i get is "click to install plugin window"

well you are an idiot.
an intelligently designed flash site can be as user friendly as HTML.
the site that you call looks like crap is 2advanced's and you know what, they probably don't give a damn about your thoughts, the truth is, they do big stuff for big companies.

And please, quit using Netscape 1.0.

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: CaffeineAndStuff
I can't be the only one who removes Flash from their primary browser (anything I *need* to see in Flash I open in IE - and this is the only use IE gets)
Also - don't forget that flash is not considered accessible so you are limiting your reach in this respect too.

There's no need.

This makes that a thing of the past

Anyways, when I see a site that's based around flash(as in, I can't use it properly without Flash), I go somewhere else.
Granted, with Flash CTV I can just click the Flash junk, but using Flash to such an extent pisses me off enough to never wanna return.

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: Dudd
How about deusex.com I like it cause it gives the same look as the game itself.

kinda cool but still awful in terms of usability.

eg

-click on a link and you have to wait a long time for the animations and stuff finishes before you see the content
-see the way text scrolls? no scroll bar means you can't scroll as fast as you want to
-crappy contrast

it's cool but they should provide a non-flash version of the site

 

[bandana163]

Flash is needlessly hard to navigate, there are also hardly any acceptably done sites like Deus Ex's one.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: Xiety

Originally posted by: Spencer278

Originally posted by: 777php

Originally posted by: Soybomb
If a site is flash only I will just close it. I don't care how cute or cool your animation is, I don't want to watch it.

even this page? 2advanced

If I wanted to design a flash page, I would definitely make an additional HTML page for the flash haters.

looks like crap all i get is "click to install plugin window"

well you are an idiot.
an intelligently designed flash site can be as user friendly as HTML.
the site that you call looks like crap is 2advanced's and you know what, they probably don't give a damn about your thoughts, the truth is, they do big stuff for big companies.

And please, quit using Netscape 1.0.

If you want to nice menus and stuff from the game, play the game. People use the internet for information not eye candy. Flash should ONLY be used for movies in my opinion.

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: Xiety

Originally posted by: Spencer278

Originally posted by: 777php

Originally posted by: Soybomb
If a site is flash only I will just close it. I don't care how cute or cool your animation is, I don't want to watch it.

even this page? 2advanced

If I wanted to design a flash page, I would definitely make an additional HTML page for the flash haters.

looks like crap all i get is "click to install plugin window"

well you are an idiot.
an intelligently designed flash site can be as user friendly as HTML.
the site that you call looks like crap is 2advanced's and you know what, they probably don't give a damn about your thoughts, the truth is, they do big stuff for big companies.

And please, quit using Netscape 1.0.

Their site is horrible.
I can view it fine, but it still sucks.

For one thing, all those sounds are annoying as hell, Im trying to listen to some music and all of a sudden some very loud and very annoying sounds start playing.
Navigating it is horribly slow.
It's got "it's own interface", that is, it doesn't work the same way as I'd expect a site to, type-ahead doesn't work, I can't use text search, etc etc.

In the end, it looks fancy, which is nice, but not when it comes at the cost of usability.