what exactly is flash? isn't it just part of regular web design?

Flash is a web browser plug-in that supports animations. It is not a design technology, it just so happens that it can be made to look like a website. As a result, it is used as a quick fix to give the illusion of interactivity. It's actually more akin to watching TV.

doesn't everyone use flash? shouldn't I keep up with current technology?

The truth is, the overwhelming majority of web users completely ignore Flash "splash pages". That only leaves so many other legitimate uses for animation in a website. I have seen some nice tutorials and "tours" done in flash. Any other function including dynamic menus and animated banners, can be achieved with traditional web technologies.

won't my target audience be impressed with my flash based website?

Even on broadband connections, Flash is not instantaneous. Flash interrupts the flow of information to your audience. Don't forget for a moment that when your visitors want information - they want it as of yesterday! You have precious little time to grasp your visitor's attention and convince them to remain at your website. Any delay will probably result in missed sales, lost leads or fewer subscriptions. Flash is also NOT search engine friendly, so if you are looking to increase the indexability and visibility of your online web presence then you won't be able to and this is not good for your business.

come on! is flash really that bad of a thing? what's the big deal?

Let's consider some additional drawbacks to using a animation instead of a properly coded web site

1. Flash is slow. Don't forget that there are still people using dial-up to access the internet.
2. People with older browsers are often left out, do you really want to alienate these visitors?
3. Visitors with disabilities using special software or browser settings may not be able view a Flash site.
4. Search engines don't read it properly, although this has been improved somewhat in the recent past, but it is by no means as good as optimising a website which is properly coded using PHP, HTML, asp.net etc.

Macromedia Flash Resources and Tutorials - An online community for Macromedia Flash developers at all skill levels, offering resources, tutorials, and a means of contact between developers.

Personally, we wouldn't recommend a full flash site, because search engines just don't recognise the flash script, which makes the website completely SEO "unfriendly"! If your website cannot be optimised then you will never be able to optimise it for search engines and submitting to search engines will be futile.

what about flash applications? can we use these within our website?

Yes absolutely you can. We have developed our own video, instant messaging and chat software which we integrate into websites that want to allow people to upload videos and talk/message about them, or leave posts on a public forum.

For more information on flash-based applications, embedded flash players, or animations please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call us on 0845 508 5036.