Flash-based sites have been a craze since the past few years, and as Macromedia compiles more and more fantastic features into Flash, we can only predict there will be more and more flash websites around the Internet. Nevertheless, Flash primarily based sites have been disputed to be bloated and unnecessary. Where exactly do we draw the line? Here’s a easy breakdown.
The great:
Interactivity
Flash’s Actionscript opens up a vast field of possibilities. Programmers and designers have used Flash to create interactive features ranging from extremely lively feedback forms to attractive Flash-based games. This whole new level of interactivity will always leave guests coming back for more.
A standardized website
With Flash, you do not need to worry about cross-browser compatibility. No more woes over how a certain css code displays differently in Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera. When you position your website elements in Flash, they will always appear as they are as lengthy as the user has Flash Player installed.
Better expression via animation
In Flash, one can make use of its animating functions to convey a message in a much more efficient and efficient way. Flash is really a lightweight option for animation because it’s vector based (and hence smaller file sizes) as opposed to real „movie files“ that are raster primarily based and hence much larger in size.
The poor and the ugly:
The Flash participant
Individuals need to download the Flash participant in advance before they can view Flash movies, so by using Flash your visitor range will decrease considerably because not everyone will probably be willing to obtain the Flash participant just to view your site. You’ll also need to put in additional work in redirecting the user to the Flash obtain page if he or she does not have the participant installed.
Website optimization
If your content was presented in Flash, most search engines wouldn’t be in a position to index your content. Therefore, you’ll not be able to rank well in search engines and there will probably be less traffic heading to your site.
Loading time
Users have to wait longer than usual to load Flash content compared to regular text and images, and some visitors may just lose their patience and click the Back button. The longer your Flash takes to load, the more you risk losing guests.
The greatest method to go would be to use Flash only when you completely need the interactivity and motion that comes with it. Otherwise, use a mixture of Flash and HTML or use pure text if your website is purely to present simple textual and graphical information.
Carol Lee is an expert author specialized in web design and development.