Flash - To Use Or Not To Use?

Out there in the WWW there are thousands sitesnot available for that browser. Well there is some
using flash for their needs. But the majority sites areissuer still left with browsers who cannot understand
not in this list. Let's summaries some facts about flashJava Scripts but there are few people who use those
using on YOUR web site and after that it's you whobrowsers today...but there are some...and you must
will have to decide: to use or not to use. There arekeep that in mind.
some facts about Macromedia Flash Technology:The Fifth Fact:
The First Fact:As you may notice we used on our web page flash
Sites are look much prettier and professional with theheader. Why? The reason was simple and that is the
flash animation on their pages. Users sometimes visitfact number five: flash movies are cashed in special
sites only to see flash intros if it's done in some originalbrowser folder and second time you access it you
manner.don't need to wait. Flash movie will be displayed from
The Second Fact:the cache folder. Image files are also stored in
Flash Source Scripts cannot be stolen unlike Javabrowsercache and may be reused if you keep the file
Scripts or HTML code. Flash files come in "two"names and path to images the same. But we selected
pieces: files with .fla extension are the actual sourceflash due to several technical reasons related to our
and .swf files are compiled version of these files. Inneeds. So we did it to reduce our page loading time.
browsers you can see only .swf files.See how contradictorily it sounds with the third fact?:-)
The Third Fact:The problem is that it requires a lot of time to
Flash animation files are slow to download and requiredownload but only for the first time! If you could make
flash player plug-in . Regular static graphic requires lessvisitors wait that time then you will benefit from having
time to download. In a couple of years when theflash header as it always there and does not need to
problem of dial-up connection may be solved and fastbe loaded each time you go to the other page.
DSL lines will be cheap and available for anyone thisThe Sixth Fact:
problem may seem not so serious, but so far we mustSearch engines do not like flash pages, as it makes
consider this aspect, as not all users are eager to waitalmost impossible to crawl them. They can not crawl
for a minute or two to see your flash intro. That's onelinks on your web page and can not index your
of the main reason flash is not popular on the bigwebsite content if it is in flash. In html you can insert
corporate sites (but Yahoo for example displays flashflash only as object.
advertisements on their pages)As you may see flash has number of advantages and
The Fourth Fact:disadvantages. No matter what you think about flash
Not all browser compatible with flash players. The oldbut it is the future of the Internet. If you cannot admit
versions of MS Explorer and Netscape Navigatorthis and stay away tomorrow you will regret you did it.
cannot display flash movies. There is a solutionJust consider the flash usage on your web site.
however: to use Java Script to check the compatibilityRemember! Be reasonable in design and flash usage
of browser and display the static image if the player isand you'll be o.k.